DSS, NIA probe Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unauthorized attendance at IPU

Nigeria’s intelligence agencies, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), have launched an investigation into how Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York without an official nomination.

The probe, triggered by concerns from the Nigerian Senate, aims to uncover how she secured accreditation, who facilitated her trip, and whether her participation was politically motivated to embarrass the Nigerian government on the global stage.

The IPU, a prestigious international organization of national parliaments, requires its member countries to officially nominate delegates for participation in its meetings. However, reports indicate that Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the event despite not being on the approved list of Nigerian delegates.

Investigators are now looking into whether she obtained unauthorized credentials or was aided by external facilitators. The DSS and NIA are also assessing whether her attendance violated IPU regulations or the standard protocols of the Nigerian National Assembly.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unexpected participation in the March 11, 2025, IPU meeting came amid her recent suspension from the Senate following a heated confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

She had accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, an allegation she claimed led to her suspension from the red chamber. Speaking at the IPU gathering, she reiterated this claim, asserting that her suspension was a deliberate attempt to silence her over the allegations.

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In response, the IPU leadership pledged to review her concerns and listen to both sides of the dispute.

Shortly after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s remarks at the IPU, the Nigerian Senate countered her narrative through Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, a member of the House of Representatives and Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.

Representing Nigeria at the meeting, Ogbara clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was not linked to her allegations against Akpabio, but rather due to what the Senate described as “gross misconduct” during a session.

As the DSS and NIA continue their investigation, key questions remain unanswered:

How did Akpoti-Uduaghan secure her accreditation for the IPU meeting?

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Did she have external facilitators backing her participation?

Was her attendance part of a broader political maneuver against the Nigerian government?

The outcome of the probe could have far-reaching implications for both Akpoti-Uduaghan and the broader political landscape, particularly in the ongoing power tussle within the Nigerian Senate.