The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into reports of widespread visa overstay racketeering within the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Authorities have already questioned five officials, including a Deputy Comptroller, regarding their alleged involvement.
Reports suggest this illicit operation has persisted for years, involving the extortion of foreign nationals who stay in Nigeria beyond their visa limits. These actions directly contravene the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025, which mandates a fine of $15 per day for visa overstays. EFCC agents are focusing their probe on senior staff at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, and the national NIS headquarters.
During the operation, investigators reportedly discovered a bank account holding approximately N700 million and several luxury estates connected to the suspects. These assets were allegedly managed through proxies, some of whom have admitted that their identities were exploited for these financial activities. The investigation also seeks to determine if the current Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, or any of her predecessors profited from this scheme.
The inquiry was initiated following a tip from a female immigration officer. A central figure in the investigation, a Deputy Superintendent stationed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for over a decade, was allegedly found with official stamps from various Nigerian airports used to facilitate illegal documentation. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo previously stated that over 840,000 foreign nationals are currently residing in Nigeria illegally, highlighting the scale of the challenge the agency faces.
