News
Immigration Attaches Posted To Nigerian Missions Abroad Have Not Received Salaries For 15 Months, Send Dependants Home
Nigerian immigration attachés posted to diplomatic missions abroad have reportedly gone unpaid for more than 15 months.
Nigeria has over 100 missions and embassies abroad.
SaharaReporters learnt that the affected officers, who handle visa processing, passport services and immigration-related documentation for Nigerians and foreign nationals, have been facing severe financial hardship.
Some of them have reportedly been forced to send their families back to Nigeria as they struggle to cope with the prolonged non-payment of their official allocations.
The development has also drawn the attention of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, which confirmed the situation in an official communication to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
In a letter dated February 12, 2026, and signed by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Oluwole Oke, who represents Obokun/Oriade federal constituency, the lawmakers said their ongoing oversight visits to Nigerian missions abroad revealed that immigration attachés across several missions were being owed allocations covering the 2024 and 2025 budget periods.
The committee said the oversight exercise was conducted pursuant to its constitutional mandate to review the implementation and performance of the 2024 and 2025 budgets, and to prepare for consideration of the 2026 budget estimates.
According to the lawmakers, the non-payment of allocations, coupled with inadequate personnel in some missions, has negatively affected the performance and efficiency of Nigeria’s foreign missions.
“Immigration attachés across various missions are being owed allocations from 2024–2025,” the committee stated, noting that some missions also lack sufficient personnel to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
The committee warned that the situation was not only affecting operational efficiency but also damaging Nigeria’s international image and undermining the implementation of the country’s foreign policy objectives.
It consequently demanded that the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service provide clear explanations for the situation.
The Committee said in the letter, “In the course of these Oversight Visits, the Committee made the following observations – Immigration Attachés across various Missions are being owed allocations from 2024-2025; and some Missions lack personnel, while others have inadequate personnel;
“Based on our objective assessment, the above nuances is affecting the performance of the Missions, it is impacting on Nigeria’s image and impacting on our Foreign Policy implementation.
“The Committee therefore demands clear reasons for the above situation, which should be submitted to the Committee on or before 23 February 2026 at 11:00 am, at Room, 4.32 House of Representatives Building, National Assembly Complex, New Wing, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.”
The lawmakers requested both hard and soft copies of the required documents and directed that they be submitted at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The Nigeria Immigration Service attachés play a critical role in supporting Nigerian missions abroad, facilitating travel documentation, assisting citizens in distress, and ensuring compliance with immigration protocols.
The prolonged delay in payments has raised concerns about the sustainability of consular services and the welfare of personnel representing Nigeria overseas.
Persistent Non-Payment Issues
Reports of unpaid allowances for Nigerian immigration attachés abroad are not new. As far back as 2025, officers complained of going without entitlements for up to 23 months, leaving them in dire financial straits.
Some even described being forced into “harsh survival conditions” and warned that the situation was tarnishing Nigeria’s image internationally.
For instance, in 2024, immigration officers posted to foreign missions revealed that their allowances dating back to December 2023 had not been paid on time. While some arrears were eventually settled months later, the prolonged delays severely disrupted their livelihoods and morale.
By mid-2025, officers serving in embassies and missions abroad lamented one year of unpaid allowances and publicly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
They warned that the neglect was making Nigeria “a laughing stock” in the international community and undermining their ability to support their families while abroad.
News
*PIGD Calls For United Response To Plateau Violence*
The National Coordinator of the Plateau Initiative for Growth and Development (PIGD), Nengak David, has appealed to residents to remain vigilant and help prevent further violence following renewed attacks in the state.
David urged people with credible information about threats, armed movements or plans for reprisals to alert the police or trusted community leaders promptly, without putting themselves in danger.
“Vigilance means recognising a threat and reporting it early. Tell the authorities where and when you saw it, and give only what you know firsthand. Do not approach armed people or attempt to confront them,” he said.
The appeal follows attacks in Barkin Ladi and Mangu. Plateau police confirmed the deaths of a senior officer and three civilians in separate incidents in Barkin Ladi, while a community group reported the killing of three men in Mangu.
David called on residents to reject reprisals and resist attempts to blame entire ethnic or religious communities for crimes committed by individuals.
“Every killing must be investigated, and those responsible must answer for it. Another innocent family must not suffer because someone chooses revenge or blames a whole community,” he said.
He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth representatives to bring emerging disputes to trusted mediators before tensions escalate. The United Nations Development Programme has identified local mediation and early warning as ways communities can help prevent conflict.
The PIGD coordinator also cautioned against circulating old videos, unverified casualty figures and inflammatory claims. “Before forwarding a frightening message, check when and where it was recorded. A false claim can spread fear and provoke harm long after the truth catches up,” he said.
David asked residents of Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu to observe the state’s 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and motorcycle ban, announced to remain in effect until further notice. He also appealed for food, shelter and other assistance to reach affected neighbours through trusted local groups, regardless of their background.
“Residents can share information and refuse provocation. Government, in turn, must act on credible reports, protect those who come forward and investigate every killing fairly,” David said.
News
2027: Tinubu’s good governance ‘ll secure FCT victory – Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that the visible achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration will secure victory for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the FCT during the 2027 general elections.
Wike, who stated this after inspecting the ongoing Apo-Karshi and Bwari-Kubwa road projects, stressed that good governance remains the most reliable metric for political success.
He said that the administration’s performance in infrastructure delivery, particularly in long-neglected satellite towns, leaves the opposition with nothing to offer voters beyond empty stories.
He argued that the tangible results on the ground make an unassailable case for President Tinubu’s re-election, including Sen. Philip Aduda (FCT) and House of Representatives candidate John Gabaya (Bwari Federal Constituency).
He said; “If good governance is a barometer to measure whether a government has succeeded or not, then we have nothing to fear.
“Now, the Tinubu administration has come and it’s not only listening to you, it’s not only caring for you, it’s solving your problems. Why will they want to change their mind?”
Dismissing opposition rhetoric, the minister said; “This is the campaign. The people who will come, what will they come with?
“They will tell them stories. But we have not come with stories, we have come with facts, verifiable facts. I can beat my chest, I can close my eyes and go home and sleep with my two eyes closed, that Tinubu will emerge. I have no fear at all.”
The minister pointed out that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has shifted development priorities beyond the city centre to directly touch satellite communities.
“The Renewed Hope administration has redefined infrastructure delivery as far as FCT is concerned, not just within the city, but also within the satellite towns.
“We thank God Almighty that has given us a President who has come to listen and to change the narrative that development must not only be concentrated within the city centers, but also spread in the satellite towns,” he said.
Speaking on the projects, Wike said the long-delayed Apo-Karshi road project was on course for completion in November.
He also said that the dualisation of the Bwari-Kubwa road, where residents turned out in large numbers to welcome his delegation, would also be delivered in December.
“Work on site is set to intensify by the first week of October as seasonal heavy rains abate,” he said.
News
NDLEA busts Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, docks kingpins over Enugu clandestine lab(Photos)
. Dismantling the syndicate is another proof transnational drug networks won’t have any space to operate in Nigeria, says Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has once again struck a decisive blow against transnational organised crime with the dismantling of a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community in Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Two kingpins: 45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, alias Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George, were arrested in connection with the operation of the meth lab in partnership with a notorious Mexican drug cartel member, Rodriguez Villanueva, based in Mexico City, Mexico, after several months of intelligence and surveillance on the syndicate.
As a result, they were arraigned before Hon. Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a Drug Trafficking Organization, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act. After their plea, Justice Segun-Bello has now scheduled their trial for 21st October 2026, following an application by the Agency for an accelerated hearing.
Also named in the charge, and currently at large, are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, who is a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.
Investigations by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of NDLEA revealed a sophisticated, transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel. Surveillance activities by NDLEA between 1st and 4th December, 2025, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra States, ultimately leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered. The lab, fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of vast quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances, a haul consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.

A related search of George’s family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators, and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further underscoring the scale of the cartel’s operations.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), reaffirmed the Agency’s unwavering resolve to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel, and ensure that they all face the full weight of the law.
He
commended all NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in cracking yet another international drug syndicate. He described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels, warning that the Agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign. He reiterated his charge to all NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of relentless enforcement until the nation is rid of the scourge of illicit drug production and trafficking.
-
News17 hours agoEFCC declares Abdulrashhed Maina wanted
-
News8 hours agoVideo: Apo-Karshi road getting required finishing touches
-
Entertainment17 hours agoHow I manage Davido’s wealth, limit his luxury spending – Sister
-
News17 hours agoCCB probes 20 ministers, 30 perm secs
-
News8 hours agoSAD! Four Teenage Girls Die As Boat Carrying Eight Capsizes In Jigawa
-
News8 hours agoUS firm declares America won’t allow Tinubu rig 2027 polls in Nigeria
