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.
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.
An excerpt of the statement as published by the agency reads thus,
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.
Naijaonpoint 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.
