“40 Suspected Illegal Immigrants Arrested in Oyo State Immigration Sweep”
A major operation by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Oyo State has led to the arrest of no fewer than 40 individuals suspected of residing illegally in the country. The arrests were made in the Akinyele Local Government Area following actionable intelligence regarding the presence of undocumented foreigners.
Tayo Dada, the state Comptroller of Immigration, confirmed the operation on Tuesday. The arrested individuals were profiled and identified as a diverse multinational group: 27 from Cameroon, 10 from Benin Republic, two from Ghana, and one from Togo. The suspects, aged 18 to 35, consisted of 32 males and eight females, none of whom had valid travel documents or residence permits.
Initial investigations revealed that the group had entered Nigeria through unauthorized border routes, and 30 of them claimed to be involved in online marketing, while 10 were identified as farmers.
Comptroller Dada stressed that their illegal entry and stay in Nigeria violated the country’s immigration laws, asserting, “These arrests underline our commitment to enforcing legal frameworks and safeguarding national security.”
Kemi Nandap, the Comptroller General of Immigration, has directed the immediate initiation of repatriation procedures to return the arrested individuals to their respective countries.
Dada further reiterated the NIS’s commitment to tackling illegal migration and urged all foreign nationals to adhere to proper documentation protocols to avoid legal consequences.
