The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has taken disciplinary measures against senior officers at the Lagos-Seme border over allegations of extortion. In a statement e-signed on Friday, April 10, by Service spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi, the NIS said the action followed viral online reports alleging that some immigration personnel exploited travellers.

The statement added that Comptroller-General of Immigration Kemi Nandap has “temporarily relieved” the comptrollers of the affected commands while the investigation is ongoing.

The statement also said Nandap condemned the alleged conduct as unacceptable and a violation of the agency’s professional standards, ethics, and operational procedures. “The actions shown in the reports go against the core values of the Service,” it read.

The NIS affirmed that a thorough and wide-ranging investigation would be conducted to identify all personnel implicated in the alleged misconduct, and that appropriate disciplinary sanctions would be applied without delay to those found responsible. The announcement follows heightened public attention on the conduct of Immigration officers at the country’s borders.