Ugandan authorities have arrested 231 foreign nationals in two coordinated intelligence-led operations targeting illegal migration, cybercrime, and suspected human trafficking, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced on Tuesday.
The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control arrested 62 Nigerian nationals on April 27 in Adjumani District, where the group was found operating a church and engaging in other activities without valid work permits. Ministry spokesperson Simon Peter Mundeyi said the operation followed a tip-off from the public.
“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 said.
Upon interrogation, some of the Nigerian suspects claimed they had been trafficked into Uganda under false promises of employment, while others were found to be directly involved in cyber scamming and related offences. They are currently held at the Ministry’s facility in Namanve and are being processed for prosecution, with possible penalties including fines, deportation, and blacklisting.
The second and larger operation targeted a residential compound in the Bukoto area of Kampala. Authorities found 169 foreign nationals, including 36 women, from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Malaysia, all living in a highly restricted, self-contained apartment complex equipped with its own restaurant and internal facilities designed to limit movement.
Inside the building, officials recovered a significant cache of computers and information technology equipment used to facilitate illegal gaming, betting, and organised scamming.
Some individuals among the group claimed they had been trafficked into Uganda with promises of employment, according to a ministry statement.
Mundeyi used the occasion to issue a warning to property owners, urging landlords to verify the immigration status of foreign tenants before offering accommodation. The Ministry said it remains committed to ensuring all foreign nationals in Uganda are properly documented and compliant with national regulations.
