December 22, (THEWILL) — No fewer than 45 illegal immigrants from the Benin Republic, Chad, Sudan, and other African countries have been arrested by the police as part of efforts to curb social vices in Ogun State.
The Secretary of the Conflict Resolution Committee and Other Related Matters, Hadi Sani, disclosed this in an interview on Monday in Abeokuta.
He stated that the committee facilitated the arrests in the Sabo community to check anti-social behaviors in the area.
According to Sani, the 45 illegal immigrants were apprehended after Hausa residents raised an alarm over the presence of strange faces and behaviors that were alien to the community.
Sani, who also serves as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Inter-Ethnic Affairs, said the committee contacted the police upon receiving the information.
The individuals were subsequently arrested and handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation.
Of recent, we made some arrests of foreign nationals from Chad, Cameroon, and Sudan, because some of these countries, like Sudan, are at war.
We have arrested over 45 illegal immigrants that reside in the Sabo area, Sani said.
He added that while some may be displaced by conflict, the lack of documentation necessitated the intervention to ensure community safety.
THEWILL reports that Sani also dismissed the notion that the committee was established by the Dapo Abiodun administration solely to address farmers-herders clashes.
He insisted that the committee’s mandate includes combating various social vices across communities in the state.
He noted that since its establishment, the committee has successfully resolved numerous disputes and prevented escalations through the cooperation of stakeholders, including village heads and Fulani leaders.
Sani emphasised that improved dialogue and peaceful communication are essential to mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders.
He called for a cordial relationship between the two groups, noting their vital contributions to agriculture, livestock production, and food security in the state.
Seun Shotunde, THEWILL
