The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre has commended the leadership of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for its prompt response to allegations of widespread extortion along the Lagos-Seme border corridor, describing the action as a critical step toward restoring public confidence in the agency.

The organisation particularly lauded the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nandap, for suspending the affected comptrollers and ordering a comprehensive investigation into the reported misconduct.

In a statement, the group said that such decisive measures had sent a strong signal that corruption and abuse of office would not be tolerated within the Service.

HEDA, however, stressed that, beyond the commendable initial steps, it is imperative that the ongoing investigation be pursued diligently and transparently and brought to a logical conclusion.

In the statement, HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, urged the NIS to ensure that the findings of the probe are made public and that all officers found culpable are held accountable in accordance with the law.

“The decision to suspend officers and initiate an investigation is a welcome development. However, Nigerians have witnessed similar actions in the past that failed to yield concrete outcomes. It is, therefore, crucial that this investigation is not only thorough but also transparent, with periodic updates provided to the public.” Suraju stated.

The anti-corruption organisation emphasised that extortion at border points undermines Nigeria’s integrity, discourages lawful trade and travel, and erodes citizens’ trust in public institutions.

HEDA, therefore, called on the NIS to strengthen its internal monitoring systems and ensure that its accountability mechanisms are not only reactive but preventive.

It, however, encouraged members of the public to use the official reporting channels provided by the NIS to report incidents of misconduct, noting that citizens’ participation is vital in the fight against corruption.

The group, while reaffirming its commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions, also urged the NIS to use this opportunity to set a new standard for institutional integrity by ensuring that justice is served and seen to be served.