Malaysian immigration authorities have arrested 53 Nigerians for immigration-related offences in enforcement operations conducted between January and October 31, 2026.

The Immigration Department's Director-General, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, disclosed that 112 African nationals were arrested during the period, with Nigerians accounting for the highest number.

Ugandans ranked second with 13 arrests, followed by Kenyans with 10 and Ghanaians with eight.

Other nationalities represented among those arrested included Somalia and Tanzania, with six each, Senegal with four, Algeria with three, while Burkina Faso, Togo and Gambia recorded two arrests each.

Guinea, Zimbabwe and Libya had one arrest apiece.

Shaaban said the most common offence was entering or remaining in Malaysia without a valid pass or permit, which accounted for 85 arrests under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. Nigerians accounted for 47 of the cases.

Another 23 individuals were arrested for overstaying under Section 15(1)(c) of the same law, while three were detained for violating the conditions of their immigration passes.

A Nigerian national was also arrested for allegedly possessing a false document, while an Algerian employer was detained for employing foreign workers without valid permits.

The immigration chief said the continued enforcement operations demonstrated the authorities' determination to tackle undocumented migration and take action against employers who shelter or employ foreigners without proper authorisation.

In a separate operation in Selangor on November 13, immigration officers arrested 59 foreigners during inspections at eight business premises suspected of being used as accommodation and hiding places for undocumented migrants.

The operation followed two weeks of intelligence gathering and public complaints.

Authorities screened 152 individuals, comprising 75 Malaysians and 77 foreigners. Those arrested included 53 men and six women suspected of lacking valid travel documents, overstaying or misusing their immigration passes.

The department deployed 17 enforcement officers for the operation and issued three witness summonses to individuals to assist further investigations.

All those arrested were transferred to immigration detention depots for investigation under Malaysia's immigration laws.

Shaaban warned that the authorities would intensify surveillance and enforcement activities, adding that employers, property owners and other individuals found harbouring or accommodating undocumented migrants could also face legal action.