By Abiola Olawale
A dramatic incident was said to have unfolded on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja when Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) officers reportedly seized the international passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district of Kogi State.
The incident, which reportedly occurred as the senator attempted to board a British Airways flight to London, sparked widespread controversy amid her ongoing disputes with the National Assembly leadership.
According to eyewitness accounts, Natasha, accompanied by her husband, High Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, the Elema of Warri Kingdom, was reportedly stopped at the international terminal after immigration officials flagged her as a “national security risk” and placed her on a watch list.
The senator, who was said to be traveling to the UK attend her stepson’s graduation ceremony in that country, challenged the officers, stressing they lacked legal authority to confiscate her passport without a court order.
The standoff was reported to have lasted nearly an hour with Natasha and her husband making urgent calls to senior immigration and government officials.
After intense negotiations, her passport was stamped, and she was allowed to board her flight.
Travellers reported that Natasha remained calm and composed throughout the ordeal, insisting that the officers had no legal authority to seize her passport.
