SSS, NIA Probe Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Attendance at IPU Meeting
Nigeria’s intelligence agencies have launched an investigation into how Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York without an official nomination.
According to Premium Times, the probe, led by the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), aims to uncover who facilitated her accreditation and whether her attendance was meant to embarrass Nigeria.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele raised concerns during plenary, stating that Akpoti-Uduaghan was not part of Nigeria’s official delegation. He emphasized that the IPU has strict rules allowing only designated representatives to participate. Following this, security agencies began investigating whether she obtained unauthorized credentials or if external actors enabled her participation.
Currently serving a six-month Senate suspension for alleged misconduct, Akpoti-Uduaghan used the IPU platform to challenge the decision. She claimed her suspension was retaliation for her s+x¥al hara§§ment accusations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Speaking at the IPU meeting, she stated, “I was suspended illegally for submitting a petition of s+x¥al hara§§ment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. Instead of accountability, I was silenced.” She also alleged her security details were withdrawn, her salary was cut, and she was barred from the National Assembly.
In response, the Nigerian Senate, in a letter read at the IPU by Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, dismissed her claims. The letter, signed by Bamidele, stated, “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behavior, not because of any s+x¥al hara§§ment allegations.”
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Ethics is set to hear testimonies from Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan, and other senators on the allegations. Premium Times reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan alleges Akpabio made inappropriate advances toward her during a December 2023 visit to his Uyo residence. The outcome of both the ethics hearing and intelligence probe remains uncertain.
