Nigerian Immigration Officers Arrests, Humiliate And Extorts Youths Travelling From Kano To Visit Nnamdi Kanu – SIXT-MEDIA LANE
Nigerian Immigration Officers Arrest, Extort Money From Youths Travelling To Visit Nnamdi Kanu, Dump Them In Zamfara
Three Nigerian youths travelling from Kano to Sokoto to visit the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have accused officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service of arresting, detaining and extorting money from them before abandoning them stranded in Zamfara State.
A source familiar with the incident told SIXT-MEDIA LANE that the travellers were intercepted and held for about seven hours during the journey. A source familiar with the incident told SaharaReporters that the travellers were intercepted and held for about seven hours during the journey.
“On our way to visit Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Sokoto we were arrested and detained here for 7hrs, extorted and left us stranded in Zamfara state by Nigeria immigration,” the source said.
A video obtained by SIXT-MEDIA LANE captured moments showing the three youths during their detention by immigration officials.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters, one of the victims, who identified himself as Cruise Naija, narrated how the incident unfolded on Sunday.
“On Sunday, while travelling from Kano to Sokoto to visit Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we were stopped by immigration officers at the entrance of Zamfara State. After searching our vehicle, they asked me and my colleague (the shadow dancer) to step down,” he said. According to him, the officers accused them of attempting to travel illegally to Libya despite their explanation that they were heading to Sokoto.
“They accused us of attempting to travel to Libya. We firmly denied this allegation and explained that we were simply on our way to Sokoto. Despite this, they searched our bags and thoroughly examined our phones,” he said.
He added that the situation escalated after officers allegedly discovered photographs of him with activist and politician Omoyele Sowore and other activists on his phone.
“During the search of my phone, they saw photographs of me with Omoyele Sowore and other Nigerian activists. From that moment, they concluded that I am an activist. They immediately seized my phone and refused to allow me access to it,” he said.
The victim alleged that repeated pleas to contact family members or associates were ignored by the officers.
“I pleaded with them to let me make calls so that people would know my whereabouts, but they refused. Instead, they repeatedly warned us about how dangerous the area was,” he added.
He further claimed that the officers demanded large sums of money before allowing them to proceed with their journey.
“We were taken into a room where we met five other people, two young girls and three men. The officers told us that if we wanted to continue our journey, we would have to pay ₦200,000, plus ₦30,000 for transportation to Sokoto,” he said.
According to him, after prolonged arguments, the officers allegedly reduced the demand to ₦50,000, which the travellers still could not afford.
“They continued threatening us, saying bandits could attack at any moment and that the area was unsafe,” he said.
He also alleged that two young female travellers paid ₦230,000 after pressure from the officers.
“I tried to advise them to reconsider… The officers immediately shut me down and warned me not to speak to them. One officer stated that all they cared about was collecting their money, and that whatever happened to the girls afterward was none of their concern,” he alleged.
The victims claimed that the officers later arranged for a truck to transport the girls onward.
Eventually, after continued pressure, the youths said a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator was brought in, and they transferred ₦30,000 before being allowed to leave.
“Shockingly, shortly after leaving the checkpoint, the driver stopped and claimed he had only been given ₦3,000, not ₦30,000. We were left stranded without money and had to start calling people to send us funds so we could continue our journey,” he said.
In January, SIXT-MEDIA LANE reported how the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed an ex parte application filed by the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Facility.
Justice James Omotosho dismissed the application after Kanu’s lawyer announced his withdrawal from the case.
Kanu’s lawyer, Demdoo Asan, a senior legal officer with the Legal Aid Council, at the resumed hearing of the application on Tuesday, informed the court of his decision to step aside from the matter, citing irreconcilable differences between him and the applicant.
Asan told the court that since the last adjourned date, he had maintained regular telephone communication with Kanu’s relatives, who were expected to visit the Legal Aid Council office to depose to the application.
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