Tension rose at the airport on Monday as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, went live on Facebook to protest the withholding of her international passport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service.

According to the lawmaker, this is the second time her passport has been seized without any court order or official explanation, despite having no criminal record and consistently attending all court sittings on existing political cases.

Narrating the encounter, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that the directive came from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who accused her of “smearing the country’s image” whenever she travels and speaks to international media. She argued that such actions violate her constitutional rights, insisting she is neither a flight risk nor a threat to national security.

The Senator further emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had already ordered the withdrawal of politically-motivated cases against her, raising more concerns about the motive behind the restriction.

Visibly frustrated, she questioned why immigration officers would “take laws into their hands,” calling the situation embarrassing and unjust.

Shortly after the live video went viral, her passport was eventually released.