Drama in Senate as Lawmakers Decline to Second Senator Natasha’s Motion on Nigerian Women in Libyan Prisons

A mild drama unfolded in the Senate on Tuesday, October 14, after Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s proposed amendment to a motion on the abuse of Nigerian immigrants in Libya failed to receive immediate support from her colleagues.

During the plenary session, the Senate had earlier debated a motion addressing the rights violations faced by Nigerians in Libya. Senator Natasha, representing Kogi Central, urged the chamber to pay particular attention to the plight of Nigerian women reportedly held in Libyan prisons.

She alleged that many of these women were being exploited and turned into s*x slaves by prison warders, adding that some had even given birth to children while in detention. The senator appealed to the Senate to mandate the Nigeria Immigration Service to collaborate with Libyan authorities to facilitate the repatriation of the affected women.

However, after she moved the amendment, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for a seconder — but none of the senators, including her female colleagues, stood up to support the motion.

The brief silence in the chamber created an awkward moment before Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele eventually rose to second it, allowing proceedings to continue.