Operation Details and Arrests
Troops of the 65 Battalion have raided a suspected hideout in the Epe area of Lagos State, resulting in the arrest of 24 foreign nationals. The operation was disclosed in a statement by Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations for the 81 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, on 16 July 2026. According to the statement, the raid was conducted following credible intelligence regarding the presence of undocumented foreign nationals in the area.
Yahaya confirmed that the suspects, comprising 15 males and 9 females, have been officially handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Lagos State Command, for further investigation. The statement read: "As part of ongoing efforts to rid the 81 Division Area of Responsibility (AOR) of criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats, troops of 65 Battalion have arrested 24 foreign nationals during a coordinated raid on a suspected hideout in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State."
Intelligence-Led Operation
The operation was executed based on actionable intelligence about undocumented foreign nationals within the Battalion's AOR. Acting on this information, troops of the Battalion, in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group, raided a secluded fenced compound located at Imokun in the Odo-Noforija/Poka axis of Epe. During the raid, 24 foreign nationals were apprehended.
Preliminary profiling revealed that the suspects are nationals of various West and Central African countries: Cameroon (10), Togo (6), Côte d’Ivoire (3), Republic of Benin (3), Burkina Faso (1), and Guinea-Bissau (1). Initial investigations were conducted to ascertain the suspects' immigration status, purpose of stay, and possible involvement in any unlawful activities.
Handover to Immigration and Further Steps
The suspects were officially handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Lagos State Command, on 16 July 2026 for further investigation, profiling, and necessary administrative action in accordance with extant immigration laws and regulations. Efforts are also underway to identify and question the owner of the premises to provide further insight into the circumstances surrounding their residence and activities at the location.
Commending the troops for their professionalism and vigilance, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, charged personnel to sustain the ongoing operations and intensify efforts aimed at denying criminal elements, illegal immigrants, and other security threats in the Division's AOR. He further reaffirmed the Division's commitment to supporting relevant security agencies in maintaining peace, security, and public safety across the AOR.
