Popular travel vlogger Lexie Alford recently shared a troubling experience she had while leaving Nigeria. Posting on Instagram, Alford said an immigration officer made an unsettling remark, “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t let you leave my country. I’d chain you up in my basement.”
The incident occurred in broad daylight, surrounded by other officers. Alford was alone while holding her passport.
“I was too shocked to even respond. It’s one of the creepiest things anyone has ever said to me and made worse by the fact that it came from someone in a position of power,” she wrote.
Despite the incident, Alford emphasised that her intention was not to discourage women from travelling. Instead, she urged others to stay aware, trust their instincts and continue exploring the world.
“I share this not to discourage women from travelling, but to be real about the uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe situations that can happen anywhere. Stay aware, trust your gut, and keep going. The world is still worth exploring,” she wrote.
Social media users commented on her post.
“That’s such an uncomfortable comment,” wrote one user while another commented, “I always wonder if men would say that shit in front of their mother.”
Another user wrote, “Can you report it? I know that may not do anything but it’s worth having a record.”
“Nigerian airport officers also gave me a hard time when leaving. Harassing and pretend they wouldn’t let me leave the country because my yellow fever vaccine was about to expire in a few months,” came from another.
Another 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!”
Who is Lexie Alford?
The 26-year-old travel vlogger from California holds the Guinness World Record for visiting all 195 countries by the age of 21. In 2024, she became the first person to travel the world in an electric car.
She covered 30,000 km across six continents in 200 days. She embraced cultural diversity and overcame challenges in even the most unpredictable destinations.
Lexie Alford has 1.3 million followers on Instagram and nearly 5.5 lakh subscribers on YouTube. She recently travelled to Varanasi. She called it an “eye-opening trip into the spiritual heart of India”. Check out:
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