Amnesty International has called for an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement posted on X, Isa Sanusi, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, urged Nigerian authorities to immediately initiate an independent and impartial inquiry into the allegations.
“Amnesty International urges the Nigerian authorities to promptly launch a fair and unbiased investigation into the sexual harassment allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio,” Sanusi said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker representing Kogi Central, accused Akpabio of denying her the opportunity to represent her constituents after she rejected his sexual advances. She claimed that Akpabio had been preventing her from contributing to Senate debates and raising issues important to her constituents.
While Akpabio has denied the allegations, the Senate later suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for what it termed “unruly conduct.”
Sanusi stressed that the serious nature of the allegations warrants an independent, thorough investigation.
“The National Assembly cannot continue to ignore these allegations, which are being dismissed, neglected, and trivialized. The failure to investigate this matter will have harmful consequences, perpetuating a system where survivors of sexual harassment struggle to attain justice while perpetrators are allowed to avoid accountability,” he said.
“This case is an opportunity for authorities to demonstrate that there is zero tolerance for sexual harassment, regardless of who is involved.”
Sanusi also highlighted the harmful culture of silence that discourages women from coming forward with harassment claims, noting that the fear of disbelief or blame prevents many victims from seeking justice. He emphasized the need to break the cycle of sexual impunity against women and girls.
