Some officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) deployed for the recently concluded Osun State governorship election have accused the Service of delaying the payment of their special duty allowances despite claims that about ₦120 million earmarked for the election operation was paid into the agency’s account.
The officers, who were deployed across Osun State from the Osun State Command of the NIS, are reportedly angry over the alleged failure of both the state command and the Service headquarters in Abuja to release their allowances several days after the conclusion of the electoral assignment.
A source within the Service said on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, that the affected personnel had been left to bear the financial burden of their deployment, with some allegedly forced to borrow money to cover transportation and other expenses.
According to the source, approximately ₦120 million was allegedly made available in connection with the election deployment, with the money reportedly paid into an NIS account by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The source further alleged that additional funds may have been provided by the Osun State Government to support the deployment of security and other personnel during the election.
Despite the alleged availability of the funds, the officers deployed for the assignment are said to have remained unpaid.
“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 alleged.
“It was said that some officers borrowed money to enable them to go to their deployment area.”
The source further claimed that officers had continued to express frustration over the situation, accusing both the Osun State Command and the NIS headquarters of failing to resolve the payment issue after the election had ended.
“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 said.
The allegations have consequently raised questions among some NIS personnel regarding the management, disbursement and whereabouts of funds reportedly released for the election operation.
However, the NIS has said the payment process is ongoing and that the affected personnel will be paid.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service in Osun State, DSI Abiola Anjorin, acknowledged that personnel deployed for the election had yet to receive their allowances but described the delay as part of an ongoing administrative process.
“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 said.
The explanation comes amid increasing concerns among personnel of security and other government agencies deployed for elections over delays in receiving special duty allowances after completing assignments.
For many officers, such allowances are intended to offset expenses incurred during deployments, particularly transportation, feeding and other logistical costs associated with being posted away from their regular duty locations.
The NIS allegations have also emerged shortly after similar complaints by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed for the same Osun State governorship election.
NSCDC personnel involved in the August 15 governorship election reportedly complained that their special duty allowances had not been paid despite completing their assignments.
The affected personnel were said to have incurred transportation and other expenses while carrying out their election duties, leaving some officers financially strained while waiting for their allowances.
The latest complaints from both NIS and NSCDC personnel have therefore raised concerns about what appears to be a broader delay in the payment of election-related allowances to security agencies deployed for the Osun governorship poll.
While the NIS has assured its personnel that the payments are being processed and will be made soon, questions remain among the affected officers over why the allowances have not been released promptly after the conclusion of their assignments and how funds allegedly earmarked for the operation are being handled.
The allegations, however, remain claims by the affected personnel and sources, and no independent evidence confirming the alleged ₦120 million payment or any diversion of the funds has been publicly established.