Osun Election: Nigerian Immigration Officers Accuse NIS Authorities Of Withholding N120million Special Duty Allowance

Some officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) deployed for the recently concluded Osun State governorship election have accused the command of withholding their special duty allowance, despite about N120 million meant for the operation allegedly paid into the agency’s account.

A source within the NIS told SaharaReporters on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, that officers deployed across Osun State from the Osun State Command of the NIS for the election are currently grumbling over the alleged failure of the command and the Service headquarters in Abuja to release their payments to them.

The source alleged that the Immigration authorities in Osun State received about N120million in connection with the election deployment, but that the officers who participated in the exercise were yet to receive their allowance.

According to the source, the money was allegedly paid into the NIS account by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while another claim by the source was that funds were also provided by the Osun State Government.

The source further alleged that despite the funds being available, officers deployed for the election have not been paid, despite that some personnel reportedly borrowed money to cover transportation and other expenses to their deployment locations during the election.

“I also learnt that the money was paid to the immigration in Osun by the Governor, and the headquarters in Abuja also refused to pay them,” the source said.

“It was said that some officers borrowed money to enable them to go to their deployment area.”

The source also alleged that both the Osun State command and the NIS headquarters in Abuja have failed to resolve the issue despite the conclusion of the electoral assignment.

“Officers are grumbling as both the state command and headquarters in Abuja refuse to pay the officers deployed for the election up to date. It was revealed that INEC paid the money into the immigration account,” the source told SaharaReporters.

The allegations have raised questions among personnel over the whereabouts and management of funds reportedly released for the election operation.

When contacted for a response, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service in Osun State, DSI Abiola Anjorin, acknowledged that payment to personnel deployed for the election was still being processed.

“This is not peculiar to NIS officials alone; other agencies too have similar issue; hence, it’s a process, and with the information received, they are going to be paid very soon as Service Headquarters is working on it,” Anjorin told SaharaReporters.

The development comes amid growing concerns among security and election personnel over delays in the payment of allowances after electoral assignments, particularly where officers are required to travel and incur expenses before or during deployment.

The allegations by the immigration personnel come shortly after SaharaReporters reported that personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed for the same Osun State governorship election also lamented delays in the payment of their special duty allowances.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that NSCDC personnel deployed for the August 15 Osun State governorship election raised concerns over the non-payment of allowances meant to cover their special election duties.

The NSCDC personnel complained that despite completing their assignments, they had yet to receive the special duty allowance, with the delay creating financial difficulties for officers who had incurred transportation and other expenses during the deployment.

The latest allegations by NIS and NSCDC personnel therefore point to a potentially wider problem involving the payment of allowances to security agencies deployed for the Osun election, rather than an issue limited to one agency.

For the immigration and NSCDC officers involved in the Osun election, the payment delay has reportedly left some personnel out of pocket weeks after completing their assigned duties, while questions remain over the handling and disbursement of funds earmarked for the duties. (SaharaReporters)