Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has condemned the reported shooting of a Nigerian Immigration officer, allegedly on the orders of a Chinese company operating in Niger State, calling it “an attack on the sovereignty of Nigeria.”
Speaking on Thursday at a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo expressed outrage over the incident, stressing that no foreign company has the authority to obstruct or endanger Nigerian law enforcement personnel.
“I will not go to any country, open a company, and say the immigration service cannot come out. I will not do that,” he said. “They shot one of our immigration officers. They told their security attaché to shoot our officer, and he did— a foreign company?”
While the minister did not name the company involved, he described the act as a serious affront to national dignity and called for immediate investigation and accountability.
The incident has ignited fresh concerns over foreign corporate conduct in Nigeria and the safety of personnel enforcing immigration and labor regulations.
“That happened a couple of weeks ago in Niger, and we are going to take it up with the Chinese embassy because it’s a Chinese company.
“I won’t go to China as a Nigerian, enter a company, and tell my security to shoot a government official in uniform. It’s never been done anywhere in the world. That alone is an attack on Nigeria.”
Giving graphic details of the incident, the minister noted that the officer was carrying out his lawful duties before the firm acted difficult.