Lagos State Police Command has rescued 38 foreign nationals from a suspected mob attack in the Epe area of Lagos and commenced an investigation into alleged illegal immigration activities.
Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the command headquarters in Ikeja.
According to the police commissioner, the rescue operation was carried out on June 17 after security operatives intervened to avert a possible breakdown of law and order involving foreign nationals.
Tijani said the group comprised citizens of Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Mali, Togo, Cameroon and Ghana.
“The foreign nationals were unable to give satisfactory explanations regarding their presence and activities in Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that the individuals are currently undergoing profiling at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, pending their transfer to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further processing.
“We want to properly profile them and determine whether there are criminal elements connected to their activities before handing them over to immigration authorities,” the police commissioner stated.
According to him, preliminary findings showed that 20 of the foreign nationals allegedly entered Nigeria illegally, while 18 others possessed valid ECOWAS travel documents.
Tijani said the police intervention became necessary to prevent mob action and ensure the safety of those involved.
He added that the matter had been escalated to relevant agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service and the embassies of the affected countries, for proper documentation and necessary action.
The commissioner noted that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding their presence in the community and whether any immigration-related offences had been committed.
He assured residents that the command remained committed to maintaining peace and public order across the state.
Tijani further stated that due process would be followed in handling the matter, promising that the public would be updated as investigations progressed.
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