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Senator Natasha’s Airport antics and the theatre of distraction

Published

8 months ago

November 5, 2025

Whirlwindnews

By Ken Harries Esq

In the solemn business of national representation, a senator’s foremost calling is to amplify the voices of their people, legislate with diligence, and defend the public trust through measured engagement. Yet Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, freshly returned from a six-month suspension, seems determined to turn her senatorial tenure into a one-woman reality show.

Her latest instalment, a live-streamed confrontation with immigration officers at the Abuja airport, would have been laughable if it were not such a national embarrassment. Nigerians are left wondering: is the senator for Kogi Central now auditioning for the role of a roving diplomat, or is she simply addicted to the thrill of the trending page?

The people of Kogi Central have already endured half a year of silence in the Senate, an involuntary punishment imposed by their representative’s own previous confrontations. That absence alone was costly. But rather than return with quiet purpose and renewed focus, Senator Natasha re-emerged like an actress desperate to reclaim the spotlight. What should have been a routine airport check on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, turned into a fully choreographed spectacle, complete with emotional close-ups, selective narration, and the familiar undertone of self-victimisation. This was not governance; it was pure theatre, crafted for likes, retweets, and short-term sympathy from an audience forever in search of the next trending video.

It would have been forgivable if this were the only episode, but beneath the noise lies a more corrosive narrative. Those familiar with the inner workings of the Senate confirm that behind the scenes, delicate negotiations were underway to rebuild bridges. Influential figures, alarmed by the cycle of hostility and public brawling, had opened quiet back channels to help Senator Natasha reintegrate into the Senate family and disentangle her outstanding issues. Such diplomatic rehabilitation requires patience, tact, and an understanding of timing. But in her rush to play the heroine in her own story, she may well have detonated the entire process with a livestream.

That impulsive act did more than attract public attention; it could very well have sabotaged private efforts at reconciliation altogether. By turning what could have been a discreet dialogue into a noisy spectacle, she signalled to allies and adversaries alike that discretion is not in her vocabulary. One senior observer quipped that engaging her politically is like trying to hold a private meeting in a market square. Every moment becomes a performance; every silence is an invitation for drama. In the world of governance, that is a fatal flaw.

Her behaviour betrays a deeper malaise: a craving for digital validation that outweighs any hunger for legislative accomplishment. It is an addiction to applause without achievement. In the psychology of power, this is a dangerous stage, when the pursuit of relevance overtakes the pursuit of results. It is the kind of political juvenilia that alienates allies and exhausts goodwill.

The principle of qui fruit iure, alterius non debet laedi; that one who enjoys a right should not be injured by another’s act, captures the injustice now suffered by the constituents of Kogi Central. The people have the right to serious, stable representation, yet their senator continues to trade substance for spectacle. There is also damnum sine injuria, a loss without legal wrong. For while her passport was promptly returned, the true damage lies in her constituency’s loss of confidence. Their representative seems to prioritise personal publicity over public purpose, and in that, there is real injury to the spirit of service.

In mature democracies, a returning legislator would treat suspension as a sobering lesson, a reminder that humility often wins where braggadocio fails. A British MP or Canadian senator in such a position would use the moment to reflect on personal conduct, rebuild credibility, reconnect with constituents, and demonstrate the humility that follows hard lessons. But Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan appears to mistake constant noise for courage. Her actions suggest not reformist zeal but performative confusion, an unfortunate habit of mistaking movement for progress.

She now stands at a defining crossroads. She can choose maturity over melodrama, wisdom over whining, and re-enter the Senate chamber with the dignity her office deserves. She can heed the quiet counsel of those who still see potential in her and redirect her undeniable energy towards committee work, constituency projects, and national debate. That path may lack the instant thrill of a viral clip, but it offers the solid respect that endures beyond social media cycles.

Or, she can persist on the present road, mistaking online traction for political traction, and treating the grave art of governance as her personal vlog. She can continue to perform like a young adult content creator, amplifying every emotion, dramatising every interaction, and scripting every encounter for maximum digital engagement but minimal public impact. It may be entertaining, yes, but it is also embarrassing. Worse, the audience for whom she performs can be incredibly fickle and will eventually tire of her antics.

The people of Kogi Central deserve a workhorse, not a showhorse. The Senate of the Federal Republic is a chamber of law, not a theatre of the absurd. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan must decide whether she will finally act like a lawmaker or remain trapped in the endless loop of self-inflicted spectacle. For if this continues, her legacy may not be one of service or reform, but that of a politician who was always online, always aggrieved, always in front of the camera performing, yet never truly on the job. And what a grand pity that would be.

• Ken Harries Esq is an Abuja-based Development Communication Specialist

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BREAKING: Adeyemi, controversial PFIPC boss in police custody, hours after bench warrant!

Published

19 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Hours after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered issued a bench warrant for the arrest Adeniyi Adeyemi, the controversial Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), is currently in the custody police authorities.

Pictures and videos of embattled PFIPC boss being questioned in what appeared an interrogation session, surfaced on social media on Tuesday evening, with few details still sketchy on whether the police actually hunted him down or he surrendered himself.

Latest information, indicate that he is currently in the custody of the Osun State Police Command, according to a report by Channels Television, who confirmed that he has been taken in.

The order came on the prompting of Wisdom Madaki, the police lawyer after Adeyemi failed to appear in court to take his plea before on an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, which relates to forgery, fraud and impersonation.

The court took the decision despite the spirited efforts by Genesis Francis, Adeyemi’s lawyer to mitigate the situation when he told Umar: “The defendant is afraid for his life. He has to be alive to be able to face trial. They have been looking for him even without an order of court.”

Regardless, the judge, while brushing aside the defence, said he was minded to accede to the application for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the defendant, noting since case was filed on November 27, 2025, with proceedings not commencing until December 4, 2025, Adeyemi did not appear before the court more than once.

“Since then, he has failed to appear before this court on four consecutive dates,” he said, while mandating security agencies to arrest and produce the embattled PFIPC boss before the court on September 30 for arraignment.

During trial, witnesses including Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester, are billed to testify for the prosecution alongside the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The order is coming on the heels of Adeyemi’s outcry that his life was in danger, while debunking the allegation that he was a fugitive running away from the law, saying he would appear in court once he had assurance that he would be protected from those tracking him in attempts to take his life.

A guest of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television, Adeyemi, had told his host on Monday: “I’m ready to show my face. I’m not hiding. I’m only fearing for my life because I have it on good authority that my life is in danger. There have been several attempts on my life,” Adeyemi added.

He also maintained his allegation that he paid N400 million through a proxy to President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as DG of the disputed council. I’m ready to show my face. I’m not hiding. I’m only fearing for my life because I have it on good authority that my life is in danger. There have been several attempts on my life.”

An interim police investigation report had exposed how the defendant allegedly forged appointment letters and official documents to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate federal government agency.

Police disclosed that the investigation was initiated after the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on October 17, 2025, over the activities of individuals allegedly forging official appointment letters purportedly issued from the office.

The petition added that preliminary findings showed the forged documents contained falsified signatures, reference numbers, official seals, and the Nigerian Coat of Arms, and that they were allegedly used to appoint individuals into the non-existent PFIPC.

Adeyemi, who was identified as the principal suspect, allegedly presented himself as the DG of the council and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

One of those allegedly linked to the fraud, Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, was said to have died in a fire incident at a hotel in Abuja.

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Arrest him now! *Court issues bench warrant on Adeyemi, PFIP boss!

Published

20 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Adeniyi Adeyemi, controversial Director-General (DG) of an alleged “non-existent,” Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Adeyemi, who was identified as the principal suspect, allegedly presented himself as the DG of the council and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

One of those allegedly linked to the fraud, Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, was said to have died in a fire incident at a hotel in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Adeyemi, who has since denied that the PFIPC was non-existent, demanded an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel to probe the controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion budget insertion for the Council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

In an open letter to President Tinubu, Adeyemi said he was prepared to provide documentary evidence and fully cooperate with investigators once an independent panel was constituted.

He recommended the inclusion of representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups, and diplomatic missions, as well as the ICPC and the EFCC, on the independent investigative panel.

In an open letter to President Tinubu, Adeyemi said he was prepared to provide documentary evidence and fully cooperate with investigators once an independent panel was constituted.

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He must die! *A’Court upholds death sentence of cleric over student’s murder

Published

21 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Abdulrahman Bello, must die for the murder, Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, the Court of Appeal has insisted, rebuffing the attempt of the self-acclaimed Islamic cleric, to upturn the verdict of an Ilorin High Court.

Affirming the earlier death sentence imposed on cleric for the murder of the female student, said to be his lover, on February 10, 2025, at the Olunlade area of Ilorin, which attracted widespread public outrage across Kwara State and beyond, the appellate court said it found no reason to upturn the earlier verdict of the lower court.

Bello, who was one of the five people arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, unlawful removal and possession of human parts and blood, also faced a rape charge, of which he was eventually acquitted by the trial court.

Justice Gabriel Omoniyi Kolawole, who led a three-man panel of the appellate court, while dismissing his appeal, held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that he murdered the victim and was unlawfully in possession of human parts.

The appellate court consequently upheld the judgment of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced Bello to death by hanging and imposed an additional 10-year jail term over his conviction for unlawful possession of human parts.

The court held that there was no merit in the appeal and consequently affirmed both the conviction and the sentence imposed by the trial court.

According to the appellate court, the trial court properly evaluated the evidence before it and rightly concluded that the prosecution established the offences beyond reasonable doubt.

The appellate court said it believed the position of Ibrahim Sulyman, Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Issa Zakari, Chief State Counsel, and B.L. Abdulsalam, Assistant Chief State Counsel, who led the prosecution.

Hailing the judgment as another significant milestone in the state’s criminal justice administration, Sulyman, said in a statement: “The judgment underscores the commitment of the Kwara State Ministry of Justice and the judiciary to ensuring that criminal cases are determined strictly in accordance with the law and the evidence presented before the courts.

“It also reaffirms the principle that persons found guilty of grave offences, after a fair trial, will be held accountable under the law. The appellate court’s decision would strengthen public confidence in the justice system.

“The affirmation of the conviction and sentence represents another milestone in the administration of criminal justice and reinforces public confidence in the rule of law and the appellate process. The convict still retains any further rights of appeal available to him under the Constitution and other applicable laws.

Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court, sitting at Ilorin, hand on July 2025 sentenced Bello to death after finding him guilty of murdering and dismembering Lawal, after describing his act as “the highest degree of human wickedness, and a premeditated and cold-blooded act.”

Dismissing Bello’s claims that he loved the deceased and intended to marry her as merely an afterthought designed to deceive the court, Ajayi, also ruled the convict’s conduct after committing the crime and before his arrest suggested that it might not have been his first involvement in such an act, while a book on money-making charms recovered from his apartment further strengthened the prosecution’s case.

Justice Ajayi further held that the video and written confessional statements obtained by operatives of the Department of State Services and the police were lawfully admitted in evidence, dismissing Bello’s allegation that he was tortured into making the confessions.

While acquitting Bello of the rape charge, the trial court convicted him of murder and unlawful possession of human parts, sentencing him to death by hanging for the murder and imposing a 10-year prison term, with an option of a N100,000 fine, for the human parts offence.

The court also discharged and acquitted the four other defendants in the case — Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman and Abdulrahman Jamiu — after holding that the prosecution failed to establish their involvement in the offences.

Reacting to the High Court judgment at the time, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, described the killing as tragic and commended the judiciary for ensuring justice.

“The gruesome murder of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal was pathetic, unfortunate, regrettable and worrisome,” the monarch said in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Abdulazeez Arowona.

“The judgment has further brightened the hope and trust of the people in the judiciary and security agencies. May Almighty Allah repose the soul of the late Hafsoh Lawal and comfort her family members.”

The monarch also urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and closely monitor the activities and movements of their children and wards to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.