The Edo State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service has arrested 400 foreigners for allegedly entering the country illegally.
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested during a mop-up exercise carried out on Wednesday across the 18 local government areas of the state.
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Our reporter further gathered that some of those arrested in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Esan West and Uhunmwode local government areas entered the country from neighbouring Niger, Mali and Chad.
The state Comptroller of Immigration, Mr. David Adi, who confirmed the arrests, said the exercise became necessary following intelligence reports that many irregular immigrants had relocated to the state without any means of livelihood.
He said though citizens of ECOWAS member countries had the privilege of free movement, such persons should possess the right documents and travel through approved routes.
Comptroller Adi further said security reports available to them indicated that many of the immigrants came to the state through illegal routes.
He said those found without proper travel documents would be deported after a screening process to ascertain their nationalities.
One of the suspects who identified himself as Awal Saidu said he was arrested along with 30 others after entering Nigeria from Niger Republic on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Saidu said he came in through Katsina in search of job.
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