The lawmaker representing Kogi Central, 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 London.
Naijaonpoint reports that the lawmaker, who was travelling with her husband, told TheCable that her passport was withheld by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), while her husband’s passport was cleared and returned.
She said, “My husband and I submitted our passports for outward processing, but only my husband’s was stamped and released to him, while mine was held.
“When I questioned why my passport was withheld, I was told it was system-flagged by the orders of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Services, that I’m not to fly out of Nigeria.”
The senator, however, stated that after about 30 minutes, her passport was returned and she was allowed to board her British Airways flight to the UK.
She further stated, “I caught the flight and [I’m] airborne to London now.”
Responding to inquiries, the Assistant Comptroller and spokesperson of the NIS, Akinsola Akinlabi, confirmed the incident, describing it as “standard procedure”.
He added that the service would issue a detailed statement to clarify the circumstances surrounding the action taken by immigration officers at the airport.
The airport incident comes just 48 hours after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan moved to resume legislative duties at the National Assembly, citing a court judgment as legal backing for her return.