Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was briefly detained by immigration officers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday morning while attempting to board a British Airways flight to the United Kingdom.
Newsonspot reports that the senator, who was travelling alongside her husband to attend her stepson’s graduation ceremony abroad, was reportedly informed by airport officials that her name appeared on a travel watch list. The order allegedly came at the request of the National Assembly leadership, which cited her as a potential flight risk.
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The development caused confusion and a standoff that lasted nearly an hour. Sources close to the lawmaker confirmed there was no existing court ruling barring her from traveling, noting that she has consistently attended all court sessions.
“This is clearly political harassment,” a member of her legal team stated anonymously. “There is no legal basis for stopping her. She has complied fully with court processes and has never missed a sitting.”
After several calls to unnamed high-ranking government officials, the impasse was resolved. Her passport, which had been temporarily seized, was returned and stamped. She was eventually cleared to board her flight.
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This incident comes amid growing tensions between Senator Natasha and the Senate leadership. She is expected to return to Nigeria in two weeks.
