Nigeria Immigration Service Investigates Alleged Extortion of US-Based Lecturer
According to Okediji, the immigration officers justified the search by claiming they needed to check for contraband in his luggage. He recounted that they requested $40 from him, threatening to seize all the money in his wallet and take him to their office if he refused. He obliged, only to find $500 missing later.
In recent developments, the Nigeria Immigration Service is actively investigating an alleged extortion incident involving Professor Moyo Okediji, a Nigerian academic based in the United States. Okediji took to Facebook to recount an encounter at the Seme border where he claimed to have given $40 to immigration officers who conducted a search on him and demanded additional payment. Upon his release, he discovered that $500 was missing from his luggage. The Immigration Service is currently looking into the matter to determine the veracity of the claims.
According to Okediji, the immigration officers justified the search by claiming they needed to check for contraband in his luggage. He recounted that they requested $40 from him, threatening to seize all the money in his wallet and take him to their office if he refused. He obliged, only to find $500 missing later.
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The professor's ordeal did not end there, as he alleged further harassment by suspected police officers in the FESTAC area of Lagos. He claimed to have been rescued by a crowd of young Igbo men who intervened when the police officers descended upon him.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Dotun Aridegbe, confirmed that the situation is currently under investigation. The Divisional Police Officer in FESTAC, Balogun Gboyega, suggested that Okediji should come forward to file a report, enabling the identification of the officers involved.
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The incident raises concerns about the conduct of law enforcement officers at border crossings and underscores the need for a thorough investigation to address the allegations of extortion and harassment.