Tinubu urged to help immigration officers owed allowances

A civil rights advocate is calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in over the unpaid allowances for Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officers working in foreign missions.

Steve Aluko, the advocate, said some officers have not been paid for as long as 15 months.

He made this appeal during a press conference in Jos. He wants the federal government to pay these allowances before any officers are brought back from their foreign duties.

Aluko also suggested that the government should review how officers are deployed. He mentioned that some newly approved immigration attachés do not know where they will be posted, and some officers are being reassigned.

"This is the greatest level of injustice," Aluko stated.

He called for an investigation into how postings are handled. He wants to make sure everything is done clearly and according to the right rules.

Aluko noted that the delay in payments has caused financial hardship for many officers. He said they are struggling to pay rent, school fees, and medical bills while they serve outside Nigeria.

"We are not asking the immigration service to keep the officers on foreign missions indefinitely. What we are saying is simple: pay them what is due before they are returned home," he explained.

He urged several government bodies to take action. These include the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Ministry of Finance, and the Chief of Staff to the President.

Aluko emphasized that immigration officers abroad play an important role in Nigeria’s international relations and also help generate revenue, despite their challenges.

He warned that if this issue is not addressed, it could hurt the effectiveness of Nigeria’s foreign missions.

The NIS responded, saying the issue is about allowances.

A.S. Akinlabi, the NIS spokesperson, said the problem is administrative and that those affected have already been mobilized for their posts.

"The people who are owed, it’s not sure they owe them a salary, but allowances, and even the allowance will be paid. That is the federal government that is owing them," he explained.

He urged the affected officers and other stakeholders to stay calm, assuring them that the outstanding payments would be sorted out.

Akinlabi also highlighted how important immigration staff are to national security, including efforts against terrorism.

"Either it’s allowance or salary, these people are entitled to what they work for," he concluded.