The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has denied seizing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP–Kogi Central) passport at the airport.
The Nigeria Immigration Service dismissed the allegation, insisting that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was never stopped from travelling.
Speaking to Channels Television on Tuesday, the Service’s spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, described the incident as a “routine immigration procedure.”
“NIS didn’t seize the distinguished senator’s passport. She only went through standard immigration checks and was allowed to travel,” Akinlabi clarified.
He explained that immigration officers are authorised to hold travellers’ passports temporarily for verification, which, he said, does not amount to seizure.
“The officers needed to conduct their checks. They may take your passport to do so, but that doesn’t mean it was seized as alleged,” he said. “She has since been allowed to travel. Perhaps while waiting for the checks to be completed, she assumed she was being stopped.”
Akinlabi further disclosed that the senator had already boarded her flight by the time her video began circulating online.
“She has travelled since then. The video was made during the routine checks, not after. The passport was never seized,” he added.
When asked whether the senator resisted handing over her passport for inspection, the spokesperson declined to confirm, saying only that immigration officers acted within their statutory powers.
“They are authorised to collect passports for verification and must return them once done — which they did,” Akinlabi said.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP–Kogi Central) had accused the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) of seizing her passport at an airport, alleging that the directive came from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a live video shared on Facebook, the lawmaker claimed immigration officers withheld her passport without justification, preventing her from travelling abroad.
