The Nigeria Immigration Service, the federal agency responsible for border control and immigration enforcement in Africa’s most populous country, has ordered a full investigation into allegations of unlawful detention and sexual assault involving one of its officers.
In a statement shared on Thursday, 5 February 2026, on its official account on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the Service said it had seen an online report accusing an officer of serious misconduct, including unlawful detention and sexual assault involving a Nigerian woman.
The agency described the allegations as grave and said any form of misconduct by its personnel goes against its ethics and professional standards. Okay News reports that the Service said it would treat any proven wrongdoing with the seriousness it deserves.
“The Service has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, and any personnel found to have engaged in the misconduct will be held accountable and appropriate disciplinary and legal actions will be applied,” the statement said.
The Nigeria Immigration Service also said it would not protect any officer found to have violated public trust or the rights of individuals, adding that it would not condone actions that undermine the dignity of members of the public.
The statement followed a report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, an investigative media organisation in Nigeria, which alleged that a 21-year-old woman from Akwa Ibom State, a coastal state in southern Nigeria, was arrested by an immigration officer identified as Isa Makama and held for several days.
The report claimed the woman was detained without proper legal process after an encounter with the officer. It also alleged that she was repeatedly assaulted during the period she was held.
According to the publication, the incident allegedly started after the woman travelled and later had issues with immigration officials, leading to her arrest. The report further alleged that she was kept at a private location rather than an official detention facility, and that she only regained her freedom after interventions by individuals who became aware of her situation.
The Nigeria Immigration Service did not confirm the specific details in the allegations, but said the investigation had been launched to establish what happened and to ensure accountability where necessary.
