Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was briefly detained at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday, July 24, 2025, while preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
Eyewitnesses reported that the Senator arrived at the airport’s international terminal alongside her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, when immigration officials halted her, citing that she had been flagged as a “national security risk.”
The incident occurred just before boarding began for a British Airways flight bound for London. Despite the disruption, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan remained composed, reportedly challenging the officers’ actions and insisting there was no legal basis to seize her travel documents.
“You have no right to hold my passport. There’s no court order authorising this,” she was overheard saying, urging the officials to let her proceed.
After nearly an hour of back and forth, immigration authorities eventually cleared her to board the flight. Her passport was stamped, and she was allowed to continue her journey.
A family member, speaking anonymously to Premium Times, confirmed that the senator was en route to the UK to attend her stepson’s graduation ceremony. According to the source, immigration officials told her she had been placed on a watchlist at the request of the National Assembly’s leadership.
“We are baffled by the treatment she received, especially since no court has restricted her movement, and she has consistently honored all court dates,” the source said.
The incident adds a new layer to the ongoing tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the leadership of the Senate. She is currently challenging her recent suspension from the Senate, which followed her public protest over a change in her seating position. The situation escalated when she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—an allegation he has strongly denied.
In addition, the Federal Government has filed two criminal defamation charges against her. Akpoti-Uduaghan has alleged that she is being targeted in a coordinated political witch-hunt, and her allies believe Thursday’s airport episode is part of that broader campaign.
As of the time of this report, immigration authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
