Army Nab 46 Suspected Illegal Immigrants In Ogun

Troops of the Nigerian Army, working with other security agencies, have arrested 46 suspected irregular immigrants in Ogun State.

Naija News reports that the suspects were arrested during a targeted security operation carried out in parts of Ijebu Imushin, Ijebu Ilese and surrounding communities.

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, 35 Artillery Brigade, Idereghi Samuel Akari, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to him, the operation began on June 11, 2026, and led to the arrest of the suspects at various locations in the affected communities.

Akari said preliminary investigations showed that the suspects had allegedly been living in Ogun State for about six months without valid immigration documents.

He said the operation was part of ongoing efforts by security agencies to strengthen surveillance and ensure that undocumented migrants are properly identified and processed according to the law.

The Army spokesperson added that the suspects were questioned after their arrest.

“During interrogation, the suspects claimed to be merchants and workers affiliated with QNet, an online marketing platform involved in the sale of various commodities,” he said.

The arrested persons include 18 nationals of Burkina Faso, 23 nationals of Côte d’Ivoire, four nationals of Togo and one national of Senegal.

Akari said the suspects comprised 36 males and 10 females.

He added that the arrests followed coordinated security efforts in the affected communities.

The Army said the suspects had been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Ogun State Command, for further investigation.

Akari said the Immigration Service would carry out the appropriate administrative action in line with extant laws.

He added that the Nigerian Army and other security agencies would continue to work together to protect communities and support lawful immigration enforcement across the state.

The development comes amid increased security operations in some border and transit communities across the country. Security agencies have repeatedly urged residents to report suspicious movements and activities to the appropriate authorities.

The Army said the latest operation was aimed at ensuring that persons residing in the country do so in accordance with Nigerian laws.