Immigration boss suspends Lagos-Seme border commanders over extortion allegations

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Kemi Nandap, has temporarily relieved the commanding officers of the affected commands along the Lagos-Seme border corridor of their duties following online reports alleging extortion by personnel of the service.

Nandap also ordered an immediate investigation into the incidents.

The service, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, on Friday, said Nandap “unequivocally condemns the actions depicted in these reports, as such conduct is unacceptable and stands in direct violation of the core values, ethics, and operational standards of the Service.”

The statement did not specify the number of officers suspended or identify the commands affected, but said the investigation was directed at identifying “all officers involved” to ensure “appropriate disciplinary measures are applied with immediate effect.”

The Lagos-Seme corridor, which links Nigeria to the Republic of Benin at the Seme land border in Lagos State, is one of the busiest and most strategically significant entry and exit points in West Africa.

The route handles heavy volumes of commercial goods, cross-border traders, and travellers, and has long been a pressure point for complaints of harassment and extortion by border officials.

The Buhari-led government shut the border between 2019 and 2020 as part of a crackdown on smuggling and unauthorised cross-border movement, a closure that drew significant economic criticism before it was eventually lifted.

Allegations of extortion along the corridor resurfaced recently through online videos and reports that drew public attention to the conduct of immigration personnel stationed there.

Nandap, who assumed office as Comptroller-General in January 2024, had earlier said her tenure would be marked by discipline and public accountability.

At the decoration of newly promoted comptrollers earlier this year, she charged officers to uphold the integrity of the service.

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In Friday’s statement, the service said it is committed to “professional, transparent, and efficient services at all points of entry and exit,” adding that it “will not condone any act that undermines public trust or tarnishes the integrity of the Service.”

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains resolute in its mission to serve with integrity, discipline, and professionalism while facilitating lawful migration,” the statement added.

It urged members of the public to report misconduct through the service’s official social media channels on X, Instagram, and Facebook, all under the handle @nigimmigration, or via its 24-hour contact centre lines: 09121900655, 09121556359, and 09121477092.