Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has cautioned that any official investigation by Nigerian security agencies into Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attendance at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York could result in unnecessary embarrassment for the country.
Falana’s remarks come in response to allegations made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of humiliating the Nigerian government after she reported her suspension to the international body. The senator had previously accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her, an allegation that followed a heated altercation over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber.
Following the incident, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for alleged gross misconduct. At the IPU meeting on March 11, she publicly spoke about her suspension, claiming that the action was aimed at silencing her over the sexual harassment allegations.
Reports indicate that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) have launched an investigation into how Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the IPU meeting without official nomination.
However, Falana has warned that such an investigation could bring unnecessary shame to Nigeria, calling it a misguided attempt to probe the senator for speaking out. In a statement released on Sunday, Falana emphasized that it was not Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions but the government’s potential response that would embarrass the country on the international stage.
“It is public knowledge that Senate President Godswill Akpabio accused Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of embarrassing the government and people of Nigeria by reporting her suspension to the Inter-Parliamentary Union,” Falana said. “Contrary to these baseless claims, it is the official probe of her trip by security forces that will expose Nigeria to needless embarrassment and undeserved ridicule.”
He further added that the DSS and NIA should draw lessons from past investigations, referencing the 1990s when the Sani Abacha military junta investigated illegal travel without any positive outcome, before considering such a probe.
Falana’s statement challenges the motives behind the investigation and calls for a more measured and respectful response to the senator’s actions.
