Troops arrest 24 foreigners in fresh Lagos raid

Troops of the Nigerian Army on Thursday, July 16, 2026, arrested 24 foreign nationals in the Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The arrests were made during a coordinated raid on a hideout in the area, Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 81 Division said in a statement.

Yahaya explained that the operation was based on credible intelligence about the presence and activities of the foreigners in the area.

The undocumented individuals were reportedly seen loitering within the battalion’s area of responsibility.

Troops, working in conjunction with local vigilantes, raided a secluded fenced compound at Imokun in the Odo-Noforija/Poka axis of Epe.

A total of 24 foreigners — 15 men and nine women — were arrested.

“Preliminary profiling revealed that the suspects are nationals of various 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),” Yahaya said.

He added that initial investigations have been conducted to determine the suspects’ immigration status, purpose of stay, and possible involvement in unlawful activities.

“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,” he stated.