The Kebbi State Police Command has apprehended 165 individuals suspected to be illegal immigrants and handed them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and appropriate legal action.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the State Police Command’s Spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, explained that the arrests took place on January 31, 2025, around 5:00 PM.
This followed an intelligence-led operation that uncovered over 200 individuals residing in a three-bedroom flat located in the Kuwait area of Birnin Kebbi.
Detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department raided the premises and successfully detained 165 occupants.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that all those arrested were from Francophone West African countries, including Burkina Faso 35, Benin Republic 11, Niger Republic 5, Mali, 4, and Ivory Coast, 110,” the statement noted.
Additionally, it was found that none of the detained individuals had valid travel documents and many were reportedly involved in the Qnet Ponzi scheme, a suspected fraudulent investment platform notorious for defrauding unsuspecting people.
The statement further disclosed that after completing initial investigations, the suspects were handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kebbi State Command, for further inquiry and necessary legal actions.
The police assured the public of their continued commitment to upholding security and enforcing immigration laws. They encouraged residents to report any suspicious activities in their neighborhoods.
