According to a report by The Leadership on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of orchestrating another attempt to block her foreign trip after immigration officers briefly seized her international passport at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday.

In a live video posted on Facebook, the Kogi Central senator was seen confronting officials who withheld her passport. She described the act as an unlawful restriction of movement and a violation of her rights.

“This is the second time this is happening,” she said. “Previously, an immigration officer told me the order came from Senate President Akpabio, who claimed I tarnish the country’s image when I travel abroad.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan demanded the immediate release of her passport, saying she had not committed any offense nor was there any court order restricting her movement.

The incident comes amid her ongoing feud with Akpabio, whom she has repeatedly accused of political intimidation. Earlier this year, she alleged that Akpabio sexually harassed and discriminated against female lawmakers—claims that led to her six-month suspension from the Senate.

The latest confrontation triggered outrage among her supporters and rights groups, who accused authorities of harassment.

Responding to journalists, Immigration Service spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi dismissed the claims, describing the episode as “a routine check” that was quickly resolved. “She has been allowed to travel. It didn’t even take long,” he said.

Efforts to reach Akpabio’s spokesperson were unsuccessful. Akpoti-Uduaghan later confirmed she retrieved her passport but called the repeated incidents “an attempt to silence me.”

The senator’s ordeal comes just weeks after regaining access to her Senate office following her suspension in March.