Nigeria Immigration Service launches probe into passport racketeering allegations

Mrs. Caroline Adepoju, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has initiated an investigation into allegations of passport racketeering involving NIS officers in the South East region.

The Service’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration Adedotun Aridegbe, made this announcement in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja. Passport Control Officers in the South East have been accused of soliciting additional fees for international passports on top of the official charges.

Aridegbe emphasized that any officer found culpable would face disciplinary measures, as the service maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any form of misconduct or improper behavior.

He stated, “The attention of the NIS has been drawn to a report of allegations of misconduct against the personnel of the service over passport racketeering. As part of efforts to rid the agency of these bad eggs, an order for an immediate probe into the allegations has commenced, and anyone found guilty will be sanctioned. The CG and the Minister of Interior have given a directive for the investigation of the allegations, and that is what we are doing.”