Uganda arrests 231 illegal immigrants, including 62 Nigerians

Authorities in Uganda have detained 231 foreign nationals, including 62 Nigerians, following a coordinated operation targeting illegal migration and suspected criminal activities.

The arrests were carried out during two intelligence-led raids on April 27, 2026, in Adjumani and the Bukoto–Ntinda area of Kampala. Officials said the operation was prompted by credible information from members of the public.

Speaking on the development, Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Simon Peter Mundeyi disclosed that the Nigerian suspects were allegedly operating a church and other businesses without valid work permits.

He added that they are currently being held at the ministry’s Namanve facility, where they are undergoing legal processing that could result in deportation, fines, or blacklisting.

“These people come under the guise of preaching the gospel and hide behind other irregular activities. So acting on that intelligence, we swung into action and were able to apprehend them.”

Mundeyi further revealed that preliminary investigations indicate varying accounts among the suspects.

While some claimed they were lured into the country with false job offers, others are believed to have links to online fraud and related offences.

In a separate operation, authorities also arrested 169 foreign nationals, including 36 women, in a Bukoto apartment for lacking valid immigration documentation.

The group reportedly comprises individuals from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Malaysia.

Reaffirming the government’s stance, the ministry said it remains committed to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring foreign nationals operate within legal frameworks. Mundeyi also urged landlords to exercise greater caution when renting to non-citizens.

“We also ask them landlords who offer accommodation facilities to these people who are clearly not Ugandans to endeavour to ask for at least the immigration status of foreign tenants before allowing them to settle in their premises.”