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About five top officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), including a Deputy Comptroller, have been grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives in connection with visa overstay racketeering.
The scheme, which reliable sources said dates back to several NIS Comptroller-Generals, involves alleged “extortion of huge sums from foreigners” who overstayed their visas.
Under the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025, the government introduced a new penalty system to deter visa abuse. Foreigners who overstay their visa will be fined $15 for each day they remain in the country after their visa has expired.
Sources disclosed to INDEPENDENT that, investigators were silent on the modus operandi of the perpetrators, but findings by the commission indicate that the racket involves a Deputy Comptroller and several NIS officials at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and NIS headquarters, Abuja.
Sources privy to the ongoing investigation disclosed further that about N700 million was found in the bank accounts of one of the indicted NIS officers while another suspect had acquired several multi-billion naira estates through proxies.
A few of the proxies reportedly admitted that their names were used to operate multiple bank accounts and acquire landed property.
Several officers working with the NIS CG, Kemi Nandap, had also been indicted leading the investigators to believe that she might be a beneficiary of the multi-billion naira extortion racket.
Those interrogated so far include Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, Bashar Suleiman, who serves at the Lagos Airport, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, Musa Abubakar (Abuja airport), the Principal Staff Officer to the CGI, Chief Superintendent of Immigration, Dotun Aridegbe, and two personal assistants to the CGI, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Emmanuel Imaekhai and Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, O. Babatunde.
A reliable source revealed that the investigation into the shakedown followed information from a whistleblower.
“We opened an investigation into the visa overstay racket after a female immigration officer blew the lid on the racketeering. Our findings indicated that the CG might also be a beneficiary as several of her aides have indicted her directly and indirectly.
‘’It is an interesting but damaging case because we found out that the extortion of overstayers have been going on for several years under past CGs, some of whom appeared to have benefitted from the scheme.
‘’For instance, a Deputy Superintendent of Immigration has been serving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for over 10 years, which is very unusual. A search of his apartment turned up various stamps used by all the international airports in Nigeria which he uses in carrying out his nefarious activity.
‘’He is known to relate directly with all serving CGs, a curious finding that is at the heart of what is going on in the agency. His admissions have been illuminating as he is the linchpin of the operation.’’
It was further learnt that the EFCC may summon some past CGs to clarify its findings and authenticate the admissions made by the suspects in their written statements.
Meanwhile, all efforts to reach the alleged suspects through their various Whatsapp numbers failed as of the time of filing this report.
