Immigration stops Senator Natasha at Abuja airport

|By Adejumo Adekunle

…Senator was en route to UK for stepson’s graduation
…Incident follows her suspension, protest in Senate

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was briefly stopped by immigration officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday while attempting to board a flight to the United Kingdom.

According to sources, the Kogi Central lawmaker was traveling with her husband to attend the graduation ceremony of her stepson when she was informed that her name had been placed on a watchlist. She was reportedly told she could not proceed with her travel plans.

However, after brief questioning, the senator was released and allowed to continue her journey.

The incident comes amid tensions between Senator Natasha and the leadership of the Senate. She had recently protested a change to her seating position on the Senate floor, a move she described as punitive. Following her protest, she was suspended by the Senate—a decision she has since challenged.

Adding to the controversy, Senator Natasha had publicly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. The Senate President has since denied the allegation.

The brief detention has further stirred political conversations around the treatment of dissenting lawmakers and the use of travel restrictions as a punitive tool.

As of press time, no official statement had been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service regarding the stop or the circumstances that led to the senator’s name being flagged.