Due to allegations of extortion, senior officers in charge of the Lagos-Seme border commands have been suspended by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Akinsola Akinlabi, the agency’s spokesperson, said in a statement released on Friday, April 10, that the action was taken in response to internet reports accusing certain immigration officers along the Lagos-Seme corridor of misconduct “bordering on extortion.”

According to the spokesperson, immigration comptroller-general Kemi Nandap has “temporarily relieved the Comptrollers in charge of the affected Commands of their duties” while an investigation into the incidents is conducted.

According to Akinlabi, Nandap categorically denounced the acts described in the reports, calling them “unacceptable” and in “direct violation of the core values, ethics, and operational standards of the Service.”

The statement said the investigation would be comprehensive, aimed at identifying all officers involved and ensuring “appropriate disciplinary measures are applied with immediate effect”.