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Summary
Lawmakers declined to second Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s motion urging the Senate to address the abuse of Nigerian women detained in Libya prisons. Her motion was met with an awkward silence when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, asked for a seconder.
The Senate session on October 14, 2025, turned tense after lawmakers declined to second a motion by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who sought to address the abuse of Nigerian immigrants’ rights in Libya.
Naija Feminists Media reports that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recently returned to the Senate following a six-month unlawful suspension.
During the debate, the senator noted that several Nigerian women incarcerated in Libya have been turned into sex slaves by prison warders, with many now raising children conceived in detention.
She urged lawmakers to pay special attention to the plight of Nigerian women detained in Libyan prisons. She called on the Senate to direct the Nigerian Immigration Service to work with Libyan authorities to secure their release and repatriation.
Her motion was met with an awkward silence when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, asked for a seconder. None of her colleagues stood up. The tension was eventually eased when Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele rose to second the motion.
Senator Natasha reiterated the urgent need for Nigeria to protect its citizens abroad, particularly women facing inhumane treatment in foreign prisons.
This incident has drawn a backlash on social media, regarding the lack of legislative care in issues that concern women’s lives.
X User @NusratDReteller criticised the lawmakers, saying it shouldn’t be difficult to “set differences aside and collectively condemn evil.” She added, “It’s not about women leaders not caring, it’s about our leaders in general giving no hoot about anything aside from their pockets and power. It’s sad but not surprising. Femicide is yet to be criminalised.”
Similarly, @Mowa_ola expressed disappointment that no lawmaker stood up to defend Nigerian women facing abuse abroad, saying, “Even if they have issues with Senator Natasha, isn’t this case serious enough to put beef aside? These people don’t care about Nigerians at all.”
