Troops of the 65 Battalion, Nigerian Army, have arrested 24 foreign nationals during a coordinated raid on a suspected hideout in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The operation, carried out in collaboration with members of a local Vigilante Group, followed credible intelligence indicating the presence of undocumented foreign nationals in the area.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lt. Musa Yahaya, the troops stormed a secluded fenced compound at Imokun in the Odo-Noforija/Poka axis of Epe, where they apprehended 24 foreign nationals comprising 15 men and nine women.
Preliminary profiling revealed that the suspects include 10 Cameroonians, six Togolese, three Ivorians, three nationals of the Republic of Benin, one Burkinabe and one citizen of Guinea-Bissau.
The Army said initial investigations are focused on determining the immigration status of the suspects, the purpose of their stay in Nigeria and whether they were involved in any criminal activities.
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Security agencies are also making efforts to identify and question the owner of the property where the foreign nationals were found in order to establish the circumstances surrounding their residence and activities.
Following the operation, the suspects were handed over to the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service on July 16, 2026, for further investigation, profiling and appropriate administrative action in line with Nigeria’s immigration laws.
Commending the troops for their professionalism and vigilance, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Adebayo Babalola, directed personnel to sustain ongoing security operations and intensify efforts to deny criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other threats safe haven within the Division’s area of responsibility.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to working closely with other security agencies to enhance peace, security and public safety across Lagos State and neighbouring areas under the 81 Division’s operational jurisdiction.
