At least 39 foreign nationals were ,yesterday, arrested by
Police and Immigration officers in two hotels on Lagos Island.
It was gathered that they were arrested following a tip-off by some residents of the area over fears of the spread of Ebola virus disease.
Upon receiving the report, the Area Commander, Imohimi Edgal, an
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Area A Command, Lion Building,
contacted Immigration and Health officials who stormed Benin Hotel and an unnamed guest house, situated on Atere street and effected the arrest of the
foreigners, 35 of whom are citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo,
while the rest are Senegalese nationals.
A police source said the Immigration officials will determine if
the suspects are legally residing in the country while the Health officials
will determine their health status. He also added that all the hotels in the
area have been placed under surveillance.
It will be recalled that six (6) people have died from the
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) , while the total number of cases is fifteen(15)
after the Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer flew into the country with the virus
on July 20th and was admitted into a Lagos hospital.