The Nigeria Immigration Service has raised concerns over the growing activities of criminal networks involved in fraudulent migration schemes and irregular cross-border movements across the country, warning that vulnerable Nigerians are increasingly being lured into exploitation abroad.
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In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said the agency had observed a disturbing rise in fake travel and relocation arrangements targeted mainly at young Nigerians, especially women and girls.
According to the NIS, many of the victims are deceived with promises of employment opportunities, educational placements and better living conditions overseas, only to end up trapped in forced labour, human trafficking and other forms of abuse.
What they are saying
An excerpt of the statement as published by the agency reads thus,
- “The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to alert the public to the rising cases of fraudulent migration schemes and irregular cross-border activities being carried out by individuals and organized groups across Nigeria.
- “The Service warns that criminal networks often target vulnerable individuals, particularly young women and girls, through deceptive offers of employment, education, and opportunities for a better life abroad. These schemes frequently result in forced labor, human trafficking, and other forms of exploitation.
- “Accordingly, the Service wishes to emphasize the following:
- i. It is illegal to leave Nigeria without a valid passport, visa, and other required documents, and doing so poses serious dangers.
- ii. No genuine travel process bypasses official immigration procedures or authorized border posts.
- iii. Be extremely cautious of unsolicited offers of sponsorship, travel fare, or “help” to go abroad from unknown or unverified persons.”
For clarification and assistance, the NIS directed Nigerians to its verified social media platforms on X, Instagram and Facebook under the handle @nigimmigration.
The agency also provided its 24-hour contact centre numbers 09121900655, 09121556359 and 09121477092 alongside WhatsApp lines 0916087800 and 09117717772 for complaints and inquiries.
In addition, the service encouraged Nigerians to report suspected trafficking and irregular migration cases through its whistleblower email address, [email protected].
It further advised Nigerians to avoid engaging with agents or groups promoting irregular migration, warning that such arrangements often endanger lives and expose victims to exploitation in foreign countries.
What you should know
Nairametrics previously reported that the NIS refuted claims that the name of a religious organisation appeared on its official passport payment portal, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
The clarification was issued on May 4, 2026, in Abuja by the NIS spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, following a viral claim that a religious entity was listed as part of the payment process for passport applications.
The Service maintained that its passport application and payment system remains secure, government-approved and accessible only through its official portal, urging Nigerians to disregard misinformation capable of creating panic among applicants.
