Immigration officer suspended for soliciting bribe at Lagos airport

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has suspended an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration II, Okpravero Ufuoma, for allegedly soliciting financial gratification from a traveller at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in the Ikeja area of Lagos State.

The Immigration Comptroller General, Kemi Nandap, made this known via a statement issued by the NIS spokesperson, Kenneth Udo, on Thursday, August 8, 2024.

Nandap said the Immigration officer’s conduct, captured in a video circulating on social media, does not reflect the values and ethics of professionalism upheld by the NIS.

She condemned the alleged misconduct in the strongest terms, saying it undermined the ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing service standards.

The Immigration boss stated that the officer had been indefinitely suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary procedures, in accordance with the law and Public Service Rules.

Nandap disclosed that the NIS received a video currently circulating on social media titled, “This is how Immigration officers treat tourists in Nigeria”, showing one of its officers soliciting bribe from a traveller.

She noted: “This disgraceful act is not a representation of our commitment to hospitality, reception, and courtesy.

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“As a result, the officer in question has been indefinitely suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary procedures.”

Nandap reiterated the NIS’s commitment to identifying and removing corrupt elements within its ranks, in line with its zero-tolerance for corruption policy.

She also assured that the NIS would continue to strive for excellence in service delivery, in alignment with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of the federal government.

Nandap added that electronic gates (e-gates) were installed at all international airports to facilitate smoother travel for passengers and prevent incidents like the one involving the suspended officer.

Nandap urged the public to report any form of misconduct or corruption by Immigration officers to the appropriate authorities.

The Star