Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
Three Nigerian youths traveling from Kano to Sokoto to visit detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu have alleged that officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service arrested, detained, and extorted money from them before abandoning them in Zamfara State.
The youths made the allegation in an interview with online media platform SaharaReporters, claiming that they were intercepted along the highway while travelling for what they described as a personal visit to Kanu, who remains in state custody following legal and security proceedings related to his separatist activism with the Indigenous People of Biafra.
According to one of the travellers, who identified himself as “Cruise Naija,” the incident occurred on Sunday when their vehicle was stopped near the entrance to Zamfara State by immigration personnel conducting roadside checks. He claimed that officers searched the vehicle and accused the group of attempting to travel illegally to North Africa, particularly suggesting that they were heading toward Libya.
The travellers strongly denied the allegation, insisting their destination was Sokoto State to visit Kanu. They further stated that officers conducted thorough searches of their luggage and mobile phones during the detention period, which they said lasted approximately seven hours.
The youths alleged that the situation escalated after immigration officers discovered photographs of one of them with activist and political commentator Omoyele Sowore and other civil society figures stored on his phone. The traveller claimed that the officers immediately assumed he was an activist and confiscated the device, preventing him from contacting relatives or associates.
The victim reported repeated attempts to request permission to contact family members, but said the requests were ignored. He alleged that the officers instead warned them about the dangers of travelling within the region, citing the presence of criminal groups operating in the wider northwestern corridor.
According to the account, the travellers were taken into an enclosed room where they encountered additional detained individuals, including two young women and three other men. The youths alleged that immigration officers demanded ₦200,000 as a condition for allowing them to continue their journey, plus an additional ₦30,000 transportation fee to Sokoto.
The travellers further claimed that after prolonged negotiation and pressure, the demanded amount was reduced to ₦50,000, which they were unable to pay. They alleged that officers repeatedly warned them about potential attacks by bandits operating in surrounding forest zones, presenting the warning as justification for their detention.
One of the victims alleged that two female travellers who were also detained eventually paid ₦230,000 under pressure from the officers. He claimed that during the confrontation, an officer stated that their primary concern was collecting money and that any potential risk faced by the travellers afterward was not their responsibility.
The youths also alleged that a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator was brought to the location and that they transferred ₦30,000 before being allowed to leave. However, they claimed that shortly after leaving the checkpoint, their vehicle driver stopped and informed them that only ₦3,000 had been received instead of the reported ₦30,000.
The travellers said they were subsequently left stranded without transportation funds and had to contact acquaintances to send money before continuing their journey.
As of the time of reporting, there has been no official response from the immigration authorities regarding the allegations. The command structure of the immigration agency has not publicly confirmed the arrest, detention, or extortion claims.
Security checkpoints along highways in northwestern Nigeria are often established to monitor cross-border movement, combat human trafficking, and prevent illegal migration to North Africa. However, human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about allegations of arbitrary detention and unofficial financial demands at some security posts.
Legal analysts say that if the allegations are verified, the conduct described could constitute serious violations of professional ethics and criminal law, including unlawful detention, extortion, and abuse of official authority. The Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of movement within national territory, except where restrictions are lawfully justified for security or judicial purposes.
The travellers’ reference to being suspected of attempting to travel to Libya reflects broader migration concerns across West Africa, where young people sometimes undertake dangerous journeys through desert corridors in search of economic opportunities abroad.
The case also intersects with ongoing political and security discussions surrounding Kanu’s detention. His supporters continue to demand his release or transfer to other facilities, although courts have previously dismissed an ex-parte application seeking his relocation from the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
In a related judicial development, the Federal High Court, Abuja earlier dismissed an application filed on Kanu’s behalf after his lawyer withdrew from the proceeding due to internal disagreements. The court’s decision was based on procedural considerations following the withdrawal.
Civil society groups have called for thorough investigation of the new allegations, urging the Nigeria Immigration Service to review checkpoint operations and ensure that personnel adhere strictly to professional standards.
Human rights advocates emphasise that security enforcement must be balanced with protection of civil liberties, warning that unchecked abuse of authority can undermine public trust in security institutions. They also urged victims of alleged extortion to formally report incidents with available evidence to facilitate investigation.
At the community level, the incident has generated online discussion, with some Nigerians expressing concern about the safety of travellers passing through conflict-sensitive routes in the north-west region.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether internal disciplinary or criminal investigations will be initiated. Observers say that the outcome of any inquiry will be closely watched given the sensitive security environment in the area.
For now, the youths remain unidentified publicly beyond their online pseudonyms, and the full factual accuracy of the allegations has not been independently verified by security authorities.
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