The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Kemi Nandap, has temporarily relieved the commanding officers of the affected commands along the Lagos-Seme border corridor of their duties following online reports alleging extortion by personnel of the service. Nandap also ordered an immediate investigation into the incidents.

The service, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, on Friday, said Nandap “unequivocally condemns the actions depicted in these reports, as such conduct is unacceptable and stands in direct violation of the core values, ethics, and operational standards of the Service.”

The statement did not specify the number of officers suspended or identify the commands affected, but said the investigation was directed at identifying “all officers involved” to ensure “appropriate disciplinary measures are applied with immediate effect.”

The Lagos-Seme corridor, which links Nigeria to the Republic of Benin at the Seme land border in Lagos State, is one of the busiest and most strategically significant entry and exit points in West Africa.

The route handles heavy volumes of commercial goods, cross-border traders, and travellers, and has long been a pressure point for complaints of harassment and extortion by border officials.

The Buhari-led government shut the border between 2019 and 2020 as part of a crackdown on smuggling and unauthorised cross-border movement, a closure that drew significant economic criticism before it was eventually lifted.

Allegations of extortion along the corridor resurfaced recently through online videos and reports that drew public attention to the conduct of immigration personnel stationed there.

Nandap, who assumed office as Comptroller-General in January 2024, had earlier said her tenure would be marked by discipline and public accountability.

At the decoration of newly promoted comptrollers earlier this year, she charged officers to uphold the integrity of the service.

In Friday’s statement, the service said it is committed to “professional, transparent, and efficient services at all points of entry and exit,” adding that it “will not condone any act that undermines public trust or tarnishes the integrity of the Service.”

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains resolute in its mission to serve with integrity, discipline, and professionalism while facilitating lawful migration,” the statement added.

It urged members of the public to report misconduct through the service’s official social media channels on X, Instagram, and Facebook, all under the handle @nigimmigration, or via its 24-hour contact centre lines: 09121900655, 09121556359, and 09121477092.

The Federal Government has unveiled a new leasing model aimed at replacing what it described as exploitative hire purchase arrangements for motorcycle and tricycle operators across the country.

The initiative, introduced through the Equipment Leasing Registration Authority in partnership with Century Information Systems Ltd. and the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, is designed to improve access to vehicles while easing financial burdens on operators.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the Head of Media and Corporate Communication of ELRA, Adebola Sunday, the agency said the model would provide a structured alternative to existing financing systems that have long disadvantaged riders.

Sunday quoted the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of ELRA, Donald Wokoma, as describing the partnership as a major step toward promoting financial inclusion and economic empowerment within the informal transport sector.

“Leasing opens the door to economic participation for many who were previously excluded. By removing heavy upfront payment requirements and introducing structured repayment plans, operators can preserve capital, improve productivity, and increase daily earnings. It is a model that strengthens both individual livelihoods and the national economy,” he said.

He added that access to newer and better-maintained vehicles would help reduce breakdown-related losses and improve operational efficiency across the sector.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Century Information Systems Ltd., Abdul Balarabe, said the programme would leverage technology-driven solutions to enhance safety and accountability.

According to the statement, Balarabe noted that advanced tracking systems would be deployed to monitor leased assets, curb theft, and improve recovery efforts.

Balarabe said the company would continue to onboard trade associations, cooperatives, and other stakeholders into the leasing ecosystem in order to expand access to structured financing and asset acquisition opportunities.

He urged interested organisations to engage with the company to begin the onboarding process.

In his remarks, the National President of NATOMORAS, Usman Gwoza, welcomed the development, describing it as long-awaited relief for members burdened by high-cost financing and unsustainable repayment terms.

Gwoza assured that the association would mobilise its members nationwide to participate in the scheme, adding that the model would promote dignity, stability, and financial independence among riders.

The move aligns with broader efforts by FG to deepen financial inclusion and formalise large segments of the informal economy, particularly the transport sector, which employs millions of Nigerians.

These conditions have limited operators’ ability to build equity, expand their businesses, or achieve long-term financial stability.

Thousands of Iranians paid tribute on Thursday to the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for nearly four decades until his killing in US-Israeli strikes at the start of the Middle East war.

His son Mojtaba Khamenei has succeeded him but he has not been seen in public since before the war, and it appeared unlikely that he would be present at ceremonies being held across Iran on Thursday.

Images broadcast on state television showed thousands of people taaking part in rallies, many holding portraits of the late revolutionary, including in Urmia in the northwest, Gorgan in the northeast and the capital Tehran.

The national homage began at 9:40 am (0610 GMT), the time at which Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28 at his Tehran residence, alongside numerous senior Iranian figures.

The attack marked the start of the Middle East war that rapidly spread across the region, with Iran retaliating against US interests in the Gulf and striking Israel.

Owing to the war, a state funeral has yet to take place for the late leader.

AFP