The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially cleared the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, of any involvement in its ongoing visa fraud investigations. The Commission disclosed this in a statement on Monday, maintaining that the Immigration CG is not under investigation.
EFCC Statement on Visa Fraud Probe
The EFCC said it was aware of media reports about alleged visa racketeering involving some officers of the NIS. The Commission described reports linking the Comptroller General to its investigation as “subtle insinuations.”
“The Commission wishes to state unequivocally that it has no case with the Immigration CG,” the Commission said. The EFCC confirmed the existence of ongoing cases involving alleged visa fraud against some immigration officers at the Federal High Court. According to the Commission, further investigations are ongoing, with the possibility that more NIS officers could be arraigned for alleged fraudulent practices in the near future.
“However, the Immigration CG is not remotely connected to these investigations,” the Commission stressed. The EFCC urged the media to avoid misrepresenting facts regarding its activities.
Background of the Investigation
The reaction followed a report by THISDAY, which claimed that at least five serving immigration officers, including a Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, had been questioned in an ongoing investigation. The report alleged that investigators uncovered approximately N700 million in the account of one suspect, as well as properties worth billions of naira allegedly acquired through third parties.
The investigation is also said to have brought under scrutiny the handling of foreigners who remain in Nigeria after the expiration of their visas, particularly the manner in which penalties and other payments are allegedly collected. The reported investigation is further probing whether an organised network of officials and their associates unlawfully profited from visa overstayers and used bank accounts, proxies, and property acquisitions to conceal the alleged proceeds.
EFCC’s Immigration Fraud Section
In 2024, the EFCC established a new Immigration Fraud Section to address the growing incidence of immigration fraud affecting Nigeria. The initiative included the launch of dedicated units in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano. The EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, had emphasised the urgency of the measure in response to the increasing number of immigration fraud cases affecting Nigerians.
Olukoyede later stated that the Commission was restrategising to tackle illicit financial activities. He made the statement in response to a revelation by INTERPOL that large sums of dollars were being illegally moved out of Nigeria to other countries.
NIS Warning on Fraudulent Migration Schemes
In May 2026, the NIS raised concerns over the growing activities of criminal networks involved in fraudulent migration schemes and irregular cross-border movements across the country. The Service warned that vulnerable Nigerians, particularly young people, women, and girls, are increasingly being lured into exploitation abroad.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said the agency had observed a disturbing rise in fake travel and relocation arrangements targeting mainly young Nigerians, especially women and girls.
