Nigerian immigration officers serving at the country’s foreign missions are reportedly facing a severe financial crisis after allegedly going for as long as 15 months without receiving their full salaries and allowances.
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has raised the alarm over the situation, warning that some of the affected officers could be recalled from their foreign postings without first receiving the money owed them.
Executive Director of the CLO, Steve Aluko, said the organisation became involved after receiving complaints from immigration personnel over unpaid entitlements and problems surrounding their postings.
According to him, some officers have been forced into financial difficulties after months of waiting for payments, with outstanding obligations including house rents, children’s school fees, medical expenses and other bills.
Aluko also alleged irregularities in the deployment of immigration attachés, claiming that some newly appointed officers had remained stranded for months without proceeding to their assigned foreign missions.
He said some postings had allegedly been withdrawn and reassigned, raising questions about the process used in selecting officers for foreign assignments.
The CLO boss further alleged that immigration officers who were deployed in 2023 could be recalled despite being owed more than a year’s worth of allowances.
He said the organisation was particularly concerned that officers could be asked to return home while still carrying debts incurred during their period of service abroad.
Aluko insisted that the CLO was not demanding that officers whose tours had expired should remain abroad indefinitely, but that the government must first settle their legitimate entitlements.
He said paying the outstanding money would enable the officers to return home without leaving behind unresolved financial obligations.
The CLO also alleged that some officers who had completed their statutory tours were being considered for fresh foreign postings, while others who were awaiting deployment remained in limbo.
Aluko called for an investigation into the alleged manipulation of postings, particularly claims that influential individuals were pushing preferred officers for foreign assignments.
He said the reported salary crisis was particularly troubling because immigration attachés perform important functions for Nigerians abroad, including passport services and other immigration-related duties.
The officers, he added, also facilitate interactions between Nigeria and host countries and help the Federal Government generate revenue through services provided to Nigerians living overseas.
Despite the alleged financial hardship, Aluko said the affected officers had continued to perform their duties, adding that the CLO had not received reports suggesting widespread misconduct or extortion among them.
He appealed to the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Accountant-General of the Federation, National Security Adviser and the Chief of Staff to the President to urgently intervene.
The organisation demanded that verified outstanding salaries and allowances be paid before any affected officer is recalled.
Aluko warned that failure to resolve the matter could embarrass the immigration service and create further difficulties for Nigeria’s foreign missions.
He added that the CLO could take the matter to the National Assembly and organise a protest if the government fails to act.
The organisation said its intervention was aimed at protecting the welfare of immigration personnel and ensuring that foreign postings are conducted transparently and in line with established procedures.
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