Abuja, Nigeria — November 4, 2025
Senator Natasha Akpoki Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally directed that all politically motivated court cases filed against her be withdrawn.
The senator made the disclosure on Tuesday during a heated encounter with immigration officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after her international passport was allegedly seized, preventing her from boarding a flight for a short vacation.
In a live video broadcast from the airport, Senator Uduaghan expressed shock that her travel document was withheld despite the President’s recent intervention to clear her of all pending legal issues.
“All my cases have been dropped on the President’s instruction because they were politically driven,” she said. “There’s no justification for seizing my passport. I have not committed any offense.”
Visibly angry, the senator accused Senate President, Godswill Akpabio of continuing to persecute her despite President Tinubu’s directive.
“You have no right to hold my passport,” she told immigration officers. “You keep doing this to me all the time. The last time, I had to call someone influential before you released it. I’m not a criminal or a flight risk.”
Senator Uduaghan stated that President Tinubu had recently instructed the Attorney General of the Federation and relevant agencies to discontinue what he described as “politically motivated cases” against her, emphasizing that the order was clear and binding.
“The President has been fair,” she continued. “He saw the truth and acted. So why am I still being harassed? It means someone is disobeying his instruction.”
As of press time, officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had not issued a formal response, but the incident sparked immediate reactions online after clips of her confrontation circulated widely on social media.
Observers say the senator’s statement reinforces ongoing concerns about political interference and selective enforcement of justice, even after high-level directives meant to end such practices.
