Troops of the 65 Battalion, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, have arrested 24 undocumented foreign nationals during a raid on a suspected hideout in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lt.-Col. Musa Yahaya, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
He said the operation was carried out following credible intelligence on the presence of undocumented foreign nationals within the division’s Area of Responsibility (AOR).
According to Yahaya, the operation was conducted jointly with members of a local vigilante group.
He said the troops raided a fenced compound at Imokun in the Odo-Noforija/Poka axis of Epe, where the suspects were apprehended.
The army spokesman said the suspects comprised 15 males and nine females.
He added that preliminary profiling showed that the suspects were nationals of six West and Central African countries.
According to him, they include 10 Cameroonians, six Togolese, three Ivorians, three nationals of the Republic of Benin, one Burkinabe and one Guinea-Bissau national.
Yahaya said preliminary investigations were conducted to determine their immigration status, purpose of stay in Nigeria and possible involvement in unlawful activities.
He added that efforts were ongoing to identify and question the owner of the premises where the suspects were residing.
“The suspects were officially handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Lagos State Command, for further investigation, profiling and necessary administrative action in accordance with extant immigration laws and regulations,” he said.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Adebayo Babalola, commended the troops for their professionalism and vigilance during the operation.
He urged personnel to sustain ongoing security operations and intensify efforts to deny criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats safe haven within the division’s area of responsibility.
Babalola also reaffirmed the division’s commitment to supporting relevant security agencies in maintaining peace, security and public safety across Lagos and its environs.
