Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 65 Battalion have arrested 24 foreign nationals during a coordinated raid on a suspected hideout in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State as part of ongoing efforts to rid the 81 Division Area of Responsibility of criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, the operation was carried out following credible intelligence on the presence of undocumented foreign nationals within the Battalion’s area of responsibility.
Acting on the intelligence, troops, in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group, raided a secluded fenced compound at Imokun in the Odo-Noforija/Poka axis of Epe, where they arrested 24 foreign nationals comprising 15 males and nine females.
Preliminary profiling revealed that the suspects are citizens of six West and Central African countries, including Cameroon (10), Togo (6), Côte d’Ivoire (3), Republic of Benin (3), Burkina Faso (1) and Guinea-Bissau (1).
The statement said preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the immigration status of the suspects, the purpose of their stay in Nigeria and whether they were involved in any criminal activities.
It added that efforts are also ongoing to identify and question the owner of the property where the suspects were arrested in order to establish the circumstances surrounding their residence and activities at the location.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Lagos State Command, on July 16, 2026, for further investigation, profiling and necessary administrative action in line with extant immigration laws.
Commending the troops for the successful operation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Adebayo Babalola, praised the personnel for their professionalism and vigilance.
He charged troops to sustain ongoing security 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.
Major General Babalola also reaffirmed the 81 Division’s commitment to supporting relevant security agencies in maintaining peace, security and public safety across Lagos and other areas under its operational responsibility.
