Illegals deported ahead of poll
2007-02-27 11:13
Lagos - Nigerian authorities have arrested a further 49 illegal immigrants in a new drive to expel foreigners without valid documents before April elections, the official News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported on Monday.
Immigration officials in Ebonyi state arrested 49 immigrants - 38 Niger nationals, three Ghanaians, four Cameroonians and four Malians - and placed them under interrogation, NAN said.
Ebonyi immigration service boss Jacob Adeyinka said on Sunday that the arrest was in line with government's order to rid the country of illegal immigrants before the poll.
He said the foreigners do not have either a reasonable source of income or residence and work permits, but "the majority of them are found with the national identity cards and voters' cards for the April general elections".
Last week, northern Nigerian immigration arrested and deported at least 500 illegal immigrants from Niger, officials and witnesses said.
Nigeria will hold state elections on April 14 and presidential and legislative elections at the federal level one week later.