By John Umeh
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has denied allegations that its officers seized the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the airport on Monday, November 4, 2025, describing the incident as a routine immigration procedure.
In an interview with Channels Television, the NIS spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, clarified that the senator’s passport was never confiscated but was only temporarily held for standard verification as part of normal travel protocols.
“NIS didn’t seize the distinguished senator’s passport. She went through routine immigration checks and was allowed to travel,” Akinlabi explained.
He further noted that immigration officers are authorized to collect passports for verification during entry or exit checks, emphasizing that such actions do not amount to seizure.
“They may take your passport to conduct checks, but that doesn’t mean it was seized as alleged. She has since been allowed to travel. Perhaps while waiting for the checks to be completed, she assumed she was being stopped from traveling,” he added.
According to the NIS, the Kogi Central senator recorded a video during the routine process but failed to share an update after she was cleared to fly.
“She has travelled since then. The video was made while she was going through the checks, not after. The passport was never seized,” Akinlabi reiterated.
When asked whether the senator resisted handing over her passport for inspection, the spokesperson said he could not confirm that aspect but maintained that the officers acted within their lawful duties.
“I don’t know about that, but the officers conducting the checks are authorised to collect passports for verification and must return them once done — which they did,” he said.
The clarification comes after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan shared a viral video alleging that immigration officers had seized her passport, prompting widespread public reactions. The NIS, however, insists the situation was misunderstood and fully resolved before her departure.
