Troops of 65 Battalion under the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army have arrested 24 foreign nationals during an intelligence-led raid on a suspected hideout in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, the operation followed credible intelligence indicating the presence of undocumented foreign nationals within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.
Acting on the intelligence, troops, supported by members of the Vigilante Group, raided a secluded fenced compound at Imokun along the Odo-Noforija/Poka axis of Epe, where 15 males and nine females were apprehended.
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Preliminary profiling identified the suspects as nationals of Cameroon, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau. Initial investigations are focused on establishing their immigration status, determining the purpose of their stay and examining any possible links to unlawful activities.
Security authorities are also working to identify and question the owner of the premises to establish the circumstances surrounding the group’s presence at the location.
In line with inter-agency security cooperation, the suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, for further investigation, profiling and administrative action in accordance with Nigeria’s immigration laws and established procedures.
The operation reflects the growing recognition that effective internal security extends beyond responding to criminal incidents to proactively identifying illegal migration routes, disrupting potential support networks and strengthening cooperation between the military, immigration authorities and community-based security partners.
Intelligence-led interventions of this nature also improve situational awareness within areas considered vulnerable to organised criminal activity and other emerging security risks.
Commending the troops for their professionalism and vigilance, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, urged personnel to sustain the ongoing operations and intensify efforts aimed at denying criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats freedom of operation within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.
He also reaffirmed the Division’s commitment to supporting relevant security agencies in maintaining peace, public safety and internal security across Lagos State and adjoining areas.
