"Chain You Up": US Vlogger Shares "Creepiest" Encounter With Nigerian Official
American travel vlogger Lexie Alford shared a disturbing experience she had in Nigeria, where an immigration officer made threatening and sexually inappropriate comments, telling her he would chain her in his basement. Ms Alford described the encounter on Instagram, calling it the "creepiest thing" anyone had ever said to her.
Ms Alford, who earned a Guinness World Record in 2019 for becoming the youngest person to visit every sovereign nation, has journeyed to 196 countries. Her travels have brought unforgettable moments-both inspiring and unsettling. One such incident unfolded while she was leaving Nigeria.
She recounted being alone at the airport when the officer made the chilling remark. "I was leaving Nigeria and going through immigration alone when the officer looked me up and down and said, 'If it were up to me, I wouldn't let you leave my country. I'd chain you up in my basement,'" she recalled.
Shocked by the comment-especially as it was made in broad daylight and in front of other officers- Ms Alford said she was too stunned to respond. "In the middle of the day. Surrounded by other officers. While holding my passport," she wrote.
Reflecting on the moment, she added, "I was too shocked to even respond. It's one of the creepiest things anyone has ever said to me, and it was even more disturbing because it came from someone in a position of power."
In her post, Ms Alford emphasized that her intent wasn't to deter women from travelling but to raise awareness about the risks they might face.
"I'm not sharing this to scare women off from travelling, but to be real about the uncomfortable-and sometimes unsafe- situations that can happen anywhere. Stay alert, listen to your instincts, and keep exploring. The world is still worth discovering," she advised.
Her experience has sparked outrage online, with many women expressing shock and concern over the incident.
A user wrote, "That is really messed up! Nobody, under any circumstances including immigration officers, should be saying this to anyone. I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you!"
Another user commented, "That's such an uncomfortable comment."
"The horrifying reality of being a woman. So terrifying," the third user wrote.
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