Police have picked 80 foreign nationals at Duase in the Kumasi metropolis of the Ashanti Region.
Police and Immigration officials have begun investigations into the activities of the nationals who were living in a six-bedroom apartment.
This follows the previous arrest of alleged illegal migrants in separate operations by security agencies in parts of the Ashanti Region after inhabitants raised concerns over their activities.
The arrest at Duase involved nine Burkinabe females, 60 Burkinabe males, and 11 Nigerians.
Police sources said the apartment where these nationals lived was thoroughly searched but nothing incriminating was found.
A resident, Abena Serwaa narrated events that led to the arrest of these nationals said;
“The foreign nationals have been living in this area for about three months. About 20 of them came initially, and we heard that they were there for educational purposes. That’s why the landlord gave out the apartment. After the initial number that came around, we subsequently noticed that they came in pairs, but we never knew what was going on.”
Sometimes you hear them make some gestures and sounds, but we were not still privy to what was going on. They used to play with our kids, and they spoke different foreign languages. On Monday, some guys from this area came to ask if some persons had been kidnapped here, but I told them it was not true. Later they came back wielding some implements, and they clashed with the foreign nationals.”
Residents in the area told Citi News that they had doubts about the activities of these nationals.
The Unit Committee Secretary for the Duase Electoral area, Kofi Karikari advised residents to always volunteer information about the activities of strange persons in the community.
With the government’s see something, say something campaign, community leaders are collaborating with security agencies to arrest strange and suspicious characters in their communities.
The foreign nationals arrested on Monday are in custody at the Tafo-Pankrono and Kenyase Police stations.
Police are also collaborating with Immigration officers as part of investigations.