Malaysia arrests 53 Nigerians in immigration crackdown

Malaysian immigration authorities have arrested 53 Nigerians among 112 undocumented African nationals detained during enforcement operations across the country between January and October 31, 2026.

Nigerians accounted for the most arrests among African nationals, followed by Uganda with 13, Kenya with 10, and Ghana with eight.

The Director-General of Malaysia’s Immigration Department, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, disclosed the figures in an interview with Malaysian newspaper Utusan Malaysia, published on Friday.

According to the report, other nationals arrested included six Somalis, six Tanzanians, four Senegalese, three Algerians, two Burkinabés, two Togolese and two Gambians. Authorities also arrested one national each from Guinea, Zimbabwe and Libya.

Shaaban said the most common immigration offence was entering or remaining in Malaysia without a valid pass or permit, contrary to Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

He disclosed that 85 people were arrested for the offence, including 47 Nigerians.

Another 23 people were detained for overstaying their permitted period under Section 15(1)(c) of the Act, while three others were arrested for violating the conditions of their immigration passes under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.

One Nigerian was also arrested for allegedly possessing forged documents, an offence under Section 56(1)(l) of the Immigration Act.

The immigration authorities additionally arrested an Algerian employer for allegedly employing foreign workers without valid immigration documents, contrary to Section 55B of the Act.

Shaaban said the enforcement operations were part of the government’s efforts to curb undocumented migration and hold employers accountable for hiring or accommodating foreign nationals without valid immigration papers. The report did not disclose the identities of the Nigerians arrested or the specific locations where they were apprehended.