The Nigerian Immigration Service has denied reports that its officers seized the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the airport.
According to the Service, the Kogi Central lawmaker only went through routine immigration checks before being cleared to travel.
The spokesperson of the Service, Akinsola Akinlabi, said officers were simply performing their statutory duties and may temporarily take passports for verification, which does not amount to seizure.
“The senator went through normal checks and was allowed to travel. The passport was never seized,” Akinlabi clarified.
He explained that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan recorded her video during the verification process but did not share an update after she was cleared to board her flight.
Earlier, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had alleged in a live social media broadcast that immigration officials withheld her passport in an attempt to prevent her from travelling abroad.
