The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has denied allegations by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that its officers seized her passport at the airport in an attempt to stop her from travelling.
The Service’s spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, told Channels Television on Tuesday that the incident was a routine immigration procedure, not an act of seizure or obstruction.
“NIS didn’t seize the distinguished senator’s passport. She went through normal immigration checks and was allowed to travel,” Akinlabi said.
He explained that officers may temporarily take passports during verification but must return them once checks are completed. “She has since been cleared and allowed to travel. Perhaps while waiting for the checks, she assumed she was being stopped,” he added.
Akinlabi clarified that the senator recorded her video during the verification process but failed to post an update after being cleared. “The video was made during the checks, not after. Her passport was never seized,” he said.
When asked if the senator resisted handing over her passport, Akinlabi declined to confirm, stating that officers were simply carrying out their authorised duties.
Earlier on Tuesday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had gone live on Facebook, alleging that immigration officers at the airport withheld her passport without justification.
Visibly agitated, she claimed she was being unfairly targeted despite not being under any travel restriction. “You have no right to withhold my passport or deny me exit from my country. I have committed no offence, and this must stop,” she said during the livestream.
She also threatened legal action, accusing the officers of harassment. “You are taking the law into your hands. There is no court order. I have attended all my court sessions. I am not a flight risk,” she stated.
Moments later, one of the officers returned her passport, and the senator thanked them, saying, “Sometimes you just have to be a rebel to get things right.” Immigration officials could be heard apologising in the background of the video.
