According to a report by The Sun Nigeria on Thursday, July 24, 2025, a brief but tense moment unfolded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Thursday, July 24, when immigration officers temporarily seized the international passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Witnesses said the senator, representing Kogi Central, remained calm and composed throughout the encounter, insisting there was no legal basis for the seizure.
“The court never authorised this. You have no right to hold my passport,” she said.
The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning at the international terminal, where Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived with her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The confrontation attracted the attention of travelers and airport staff, as immigration officials held her passport without offering a formal explanation.
According to sources at the airport, the directive to detain the senator’s travel document reportedly came from the Comptroller General of Immigration, allegedly acting on instructions from the Senate President.
Chief Uduaghan was observed making a series of urgent phone calls during the delay.
After several minutes of uncertainty, the senator’s passport was returned without any clarification, allowing her to clear immigration and board her flight just before departure.
