Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was briefly detained by immigration officers in Abuja before boarding a UK flight amid rising tension with Senate leadership
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was briefly stopped by immigration officers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday morning.
Also read: Natasha Akpoti Vows Legal Action as Senate Blocks Her Entry Again
The lawmaker was travelling with her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, and was scheduled to board a British Airways flight to the United Kingdom.
She was informed by immigration officials that her name appeared on a watch list, which temporarily prevented her from leaving the country.
A source within immigration services confirmed the development. “Yes, it is true that the Senator was blocked briefly from travelling,” the official said.
After close to an hour of questioning, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was eventually cleared and allowed to board her flight.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.
The incident follows increasing tensions between the senator and the leadership of the National Assembly.
She is currently challenging a decision by the Senate to suspend her, after she protested the reassignment of her seat on the Senate floor.
Also read: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Defies Suspension, Returns to Senate Amid Tight Security
In a further development, the senator has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—an allegation he has strongly denied.
