Chief Edet Isong urges Senator Natasha to leave Senate President alone amid rising political tension
Abuja — The controversy surrounding alleged harassment of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the airport took a new turn on Tuesday as the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) denied claims that its officers seized the lawmaker’s passport, insisting she was subjected only to routine travel checks.
The senator, who represents Kogi Central, had earlier alleged that her travel was disrupted in what she described as a politically motivated attempt to embarrass her, accusing the Senate President of being behind the incident.
But in a swift rebuttal, the NIS dismissed the allegations, describing them as unfounded. Its spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, explained that the senator went through normal immigration procedures before being cleared to travel.
“NIS didn’t seize the distinguished senator’s passport, but rather she went through routine immigration checks and was allowed to travel,” Akinlabi said, adding that immigration officers are empowered to temporarily hold passports while conducting standard verifications.
“The NIS officers needed to conduct their checks. They may take your passport to do so, but that doesn’t mean it was seized as alleged,” he clarified.
The Service maintained that all passengers—regardless of social status—are subject to the same scrutiny at points of entry and exit, noting that there was no attempt to harass or intimidate the lawmaker.
However, the senator’s allegation has continued to stir debate within political circles, with many viewing it as a reflection of the increasingly tense relationship between some lawmakers and the Senate leadership.
In a reaction that further fanned public discussion, Chief Edet Isong, a public affairs commentator, took to his Facebook and TikTok handles to urge Senator Natasha to, in his words, “leave the Senate President alone.”
Isong called for restraint and urged the senator to focus on her legislative duties rather than “politicising routine administrative matters.” His comments have since drawn mixed reactions online, with some supporting his call for calm while others accused him of downplaying potential political interference.
Political observers say the incident underscores the growing sensitivity around perceived misuse of state institutions in partisan disputes. While the immigration service insists it merely followed standard procedure, critics argue that such incidents feed into public distrust of political power plays within the National Assembly.
For now, Senator Natasha’s accusation and the NIS’s denial have set off a storm that could test the Senate’s internal unity and the public’s confidence in the independence of federal institutions.