38 foreign nationals have been apprehended by the Lagos State Police Command in Epe, Lagos State, in response to intelligence information indicating that a significant number of foreigners were inhabiting a nearby building. According to CP Fatai Tijani, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, the operation was started after reliable intelligence revealed suspicious activity by the building's inhabitants. He made it clear that the foreigners who had been arrested had nothing to do with the people in a recent viral video that caused a stir among the public.
Four Beninese, four Malaysians, two Togolese, one Ghanaian, nine Cameroonians, and fourteen Chinese nationals are among those detained, according to the police commissioner.
Preliminary investigations, according to Tijani, raised concerns because many of the suspects were unable to offer adequate justifications for their actions in Nigeria. He added that some of the suspects claimed to be involved in networking businesses but could not adequately explain the nature of their operations.
The police commissioner disclosed that the suspects are currently being profiled to determine whether they are linked to any criminal activities before being handed over to the appropriate authorities. Findings, according to him, revealed that 20 of the arrested foreigners entered Nigeria illegally, while 18 possessed valid ECOWAS travel documents. He said the matter has been referred to the Nigeria Immigration Service and the embassies of the affected countries for further investigation and necessary action.
Tijani also highlighted other operational successes recorded by the command in June, including arrests linked to armed robbery, cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, vandalism, conspiracy, and other violent crimes. He disclosed that the operations led to the recovery of 14 firearms, four live cartridges, 51 mobile phones, two Vehicle Engine Control Units (ECUs), popularly known as brain boxes, vandalized electrical cables, knives, and other incriminating items.
The commissioner described the achievements as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and proactive crime prevention strategies adopted by the command. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Lagos State Police Command to protecting lives and property and ensuring that criminal elements have no safe haven in the state.