The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has strongly condemned the shooting of an immigration officer in Niger State, allegedly on the orders of a Chinese company operating in Nigeria, describing the incident as “an attack on Nigeria.”
Okay.ng reports that the minister made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025.
Tunji-Ojo, visibly angered by the development, said the officer was only performing his lawful duties before being attacked. He revealed that the company’s private security personnel, allegedly instructed by company officials, shot the immigration officer during a routine check.
“I don’t want to mention the company here, but they shot one of our immigration officers. They told their security attaché to shoot our officer, and he did— a foreign company? That happened a couple of weeks ago in Niger, and we are going to take it up with the Chinese embassy because it’s a Chinese company,” the minister said.
He added that such acts would never be tolerated if roles were reversed, and a Nigerian official carried out such an attack in China.
“I won’t go to China as a Nigerian, enter a company, and tell my security to shoot a government official in uniform. It’s never done anywhere in the world. That alone is an attack on Nigeria,” he added.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the officer had merely requested to inspect the company’s expatriate documentation when the confrontation occurred.
“For a father to leave his children to fulfil his legitimate responsibility, go to a company, and say, ‘I need to see your expatriates, let’s see your list’ — just to ask questions — and the next thing, you lock the gate and shoot him?” he asked.
The minister emphasized that the matter will be treated as a diplomatic issue, stating that Nigeria would take it up formally with the Chinese Embassy.
He warned that the government will no longer tolerate such impunity, vowing that all companies operating in Nigeria must respect the nation’s sovereignty and its laws.
“No company is above the law. We will not tolerate it. No agent, no company is above the law,” Tunji-Ojo said.
“We are doing our best to make things easier and to collaborate with businesses. But please, we beg you, do not insult us. We will not disrespect you. All we ask for is mutual respect.”
The minister further cautioned that the federal government has the power to revoke business licenses and declare such companies illegal if they are found to be operating in violation of Nigerian laws.
“As long as the president remains in office, nobody will disrespect you in Nigeria. But don’t make us inferior in our land. We are going to be very tough on this. I’m not just speaking with passion; I’m speaking with anger,” he declared.
