What began as an allegation from a female immigration officer has grown into a major financial investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is now probing an alleged visa overstay extortion network believed to have operated inside the Nigeria Immigration Service for years, uncovering roughly N700 million in one suspect’s account and properties worth billions allegedly acquired through third parties.
At least five serving officers, including a Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, have reportedly been questioned. A source familiar with the matter said the EFCC opened its investigation after the female officer blew the lid on the alleged racketeering, triggering a review of the financial activities and relationships of officers connected to immigration operations at key entry points and NIS headquarters. The probe is examining whether an organised network of officials and associates unlawfully profited from foreigners overstaying their visas, using bank accounts, proxies and property purchases to conceal the alleged proceeds, a scrutiny that comes as the government enforces the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025, which requires overstayers to pay $15 per day, with investigators now examining whether that official penalty system was exploited by individuals demanding or collecting funds outside approved procedures. The investigation covers immigration operations at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and NIS headquarters, and reportedly includes questioning of Assistant Superintendent of Immigration Bashar Suleiman at the Lagos airport, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration Musa Abubakar at the Abuja airport, Chief Superintendent of Immigration Dotun Aridegbe, Principal Staff Officer to the Comptroller General, and Assistant Comptroller of Immigration Emmanuel Imaekhai and Assistant Superintendent of Immigration O. Babatunde, both said to serve as personal assistants to the Comptroller General; the EFCC has not publicly announced charges against any of them.
Investigators are said to be tracing a financial trail spanning bank accounts, landed properties and alleged proxy arrangements, with some individuals whose names were reportedly used to hold accounts or acquire property telling investigators they acted on behalf of the actual suspects. One officer under scrutiny, a Deputy Superintendent of Immigration who has reportedly served at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for more than a decade, drew particular investigator attention over the length of that posting, with a search of the officer’s apartment allegedly uncovering immigration stamps linked to several international airports across Nigeria; investigators are also examining the officer’s reported relationship with successive Comptrollers General. He is known to relate directly with all serving CGs, the source alleged, his admissions have been illuminating as he is the linchpin of the operation, a claim that remains part of an ongoing investigation and has not been established in court. The EFCC is reportedly considering inviting former Comptrollers General to respond to findings about the alleged network’s operation during their respective tenures, and examining whether the suspected scheme continued across multiple NIS administrations. It is an interesting but damaging case because we found out that the extortion of overstayers has been going on for several years under past CGs, some of whom appeared to have benefitted from the scheme, the source said.
The investigation has also reportedly raised questions about aides to current Comptroller General of Immigration Kemi Nandap, with the source alleging that some aides made statements investigators considered relevant to the probe, and that the EFCC is examining whether Nandap had any knowledge of or benefited from the alleged scheme. Several of her aides have indicted her directly and indirectly, the source alleged, investigators are looking into whether she was a beneficiary of the multi billion naira extortion racket, though no formal allegation has been publicly established against Nandap and the EFCC has not named her a suspect or filed any charge. One of the named officers, Chief Superintendent of Immigration O. Babatunde, denied any involvement, saying he was never invited over a visa scam. I am not involved in a scam and do not have any visa scam issue, please, he said, I was never invited for visa scam. Messages seeking comment from Aridegbe, Imaekhai and Suleiman went unanswered. The EFCC has not released an official statement on the investigation or disclosed a full list of officers under scrutiny; the probe remains active, with financial records, property documents, witness statements and alleged relationships between officials and private individuals still being examined, and all named individuals remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
