Kano: The Kano State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested 20 foreign nationals in the Danbare area of Kumbotso Local Government Area of the State.
Mohammed Hassan-Agalama, State Commandant, announced the arrests at a press briefing on Tuesday in Kano.
He said the suspects are from Sudan, Chad, and other neighbouring countries. NSCDC operatives apprehended them following credible intelligence and a coordinated operation.
“Among the suspects, there is one from Cameroon, one from Niger, 12 from Sudan, and six from Chad,” he said, specifying the nationalities and numbers involved.
Hassan-Agalama said preliminary investigations found the suspects had no valid travel or ID documents. This raised concerns about their entry and activities in the state.
He added that operatives recovered 10 Android phones from the suspects.
The Corps is profiling and investigating the suspects. The goal is to determine their mission and any possible links to unlawful activities.
“Relevant agencies have received due notification, and authorities are taking necessary steps in line with extant laws,” he said.
The commandant reiterated the NSCDC’s commitment to safeguarding critical national assets and maintaining internal security.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and to support security agencies with timely, useful information.
One of the suspects, identified as Idrisa Ila from the Niger Republic, said he had been residing in Kano for three years, where he engaged in trading, selling materials and other goods in response to customers’ demands.
He said he met some suspects through Facebook. They told him they planned to travel to Sudan through Chad, using Nigeria as a transit point.
According to some, they requested temporary lodging, but Ila initially declined because the rent had expired. The group later sent money for him to secure a house for them, noting that he expected only five people, but more individuals subsequently arrived and occupied the residence.
“They told me they did not have enough money to continue their journey to Sudan and decided to stay in Nigeria for some time,” he said.
Ila said residents became suspicious because of the large number of people in the house. Their inability to speak or understand Hausa or English led residents to report the matter.
He said he possessed valid documents but could not confirm the legal status or travel documents of the other suspects, noting that they had spent more than 10 days in Kano before their arrest.
