The Action Collective, a pro-democracy advocacy group, has strongly condemned the reported harassment and passport seizure of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on the morning of Tuesday, November 4, 2025. The group described the incident as “unwarranted, illegal, and a gross embarrassment to the image of the country.”
According to reports, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, was on her way to London on a one-week vacation after successfully celebrating her second anniversary in the Senate with her constituents when she was abruptly intercepted by Immigration officers and her international passport seized without any lawful justification.
In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of Action Collective, Mr. Teddy Onyejuwe, the group said the action by the Immigration officers was not only an affront to the senator’s fundamental human rights but also a deliberate attempt to humiliate a distinguished public servant who has remained law-abiding and cooperative with all judicial processes involving her.
“We find it deeply troubling and totally unacceptable that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has consistently shown respect for the rule of law by honouring all court appearances, could be subjected to such degrading and humiliating treatment by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service,” Onyejuwe said. “This action, in the absence of any court order or valid directive from a competent authority, is a flagrant abuse of power, a reckless overreach of official duty, and an unnecessary embarrassment to the nation.”
The statement further noted that such arbitrary conduct by security and border control agencies has become a recurring embarrassment that undermines Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.
“Harassing a sitting senator without any legal basis sends a very dangerous message to the world—that our institutions have little or no regard for due process and the dignity of citizens,” Onyejuwe added. “It is shameful that an elected representative of the people could be treated in such a disrespectful and unlawful manner at an international airport, especially when there is no subsisting travel restriction or court order against her.”
Action Collective therefore called on the Comptroller-General of Immigration and the Minister of Interior to immediately investigate the incident, discipline the officers involved, and tender an unreserved public apology to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The group also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to take decisive steps to reform the operational conduct of security and border control agencies to prevent further acts of impunity and embarrassment against public officials and innocent citizens.
“The image of Nigeria must not be dragged into disrepute by the reckless actions of a few overzealous officers,” Onyejuwe concluded. “We stand firmly with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and demand that her rights, dignity, and reputation be fully restored without delay.”
