Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of directing Nigerian immigration officers to confiscate her passport at the airport, blocking her from international travel.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, the senator confronted immigration officials about the seizure. She called the move an illegal curb on her freedom of movement and a blatant breach of her rights.
“Hello, Nigerians. I’m Senator Natasha,” she said in the clip. “After two years in office, I planned a short break. But here at the airport, my passport has been taken—again.”
She claimed the same incident occurred previously without any offense on her part or court order. “The officer said Senate President Akpabio ordered them to hold my passport, alleging I damage Nigeria’s image by speaking to foreign media,” she added.
Akpoti-Uduaghan described the pattern as ongoing harassment and urged authorities to stop the “public embarrassment.”
Neither the Nigerian Immigration Service nor Akpabio’s office has responded to the allegations.
The dispute traces back to May 19, 2025, when SaharaReporters revealed that Akpoti-Uduaghan petitioned Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun. She accused Akpabio of orchestrating a defamation and intimidation campaign to silence her earlier sexual harassment claims against him, made on national television on February 28, 2025.
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In the petition, filed by her legal team led by Senior Advocate Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, she alleged threats to her safety, reputation, and career through “criminal defamation, cyber-stalking, conspiracy, and attempted assassination.”
The document cites public broadcasts, witness statements, media reports, and expert analysis as evidence. It claims the retaliation escalated after her Senate suspension.
Weeks later, an online commentator known as “Professor Mgbeke” shifted from sympathetic posts to coordinated attacks after Akpoti-Uduaghan rejected private overtures. The persona was later identified as Dr. Sandra Chidinma Duru, a Texas-based Nigerian, during a May 1, 2025, live broadcast and follow-up investigations.
The petition links Akpabio directly to Duru, pointing to a broadcast where her phone screen allegedly displayed contacts including “My Daddy Directline,” “IGP Kayode,” “Senator Akpabio” (two numbers), and “Oby Ndukwe.”
