22-04-2021 – The Department of Immigration in Chipata has apprehended seventy-seven (77) Ethiopian nationals for the offence on unlawful entry. The Ethiopians aged between 15 and 35 years were intercepted on Wednesday, 21st April, 2021 near Musekela area in Chipata by a team of Immigration Officers from the Chipata Regional Immigration Office and Mwami Border Control. They were found concealed in maize bran-laden Zambian Registered Volvo Truck, following a tip-off from members of the public. The truck is believed to have been Lusaka bound. The seventy-seven (77) are currently detained at Chipata Central Police and will be transferred to Namuseche Correctional Facility pending further immigration formalities. The driver of the truck managed to escape. Investigations into this matter are ongoing.
In a similar development, the Chibombo Immigration Office on Tuesday, 20th April, 2021 apprehended eleven (11) Ethiopians aged between 11 and 30 years for unlawful entry and two (2) Zambians, one of them a uniformed Police Officer, for aiding the Ethiopians to enter and remain in Zambia illegally. The suspects were intercepted at Chisamba Check Point following a tip-off from members of the public. Investigations into this matter are ongoing.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country the Department of Immigration between 19th and 21st April, 2021 apprehended fifty-seven (57) persons for various immigration offences. During this period the Department also removed fifty-six (56) illegal immigrants from the country, including thirty-two (32) Ethiopians removed on 20th April, 2021 via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Further, thirty-six (36) convictions were secured during this period and eight (08) foreign nationals refused entry into Zambia for failing to meet entry requirements.
We wish to thank members of the public for the immeasurable assistance they have been rendering the Immigration by alerting them of the presence of suspected illegal immigrant. We are therefore confident that with their support, we will put the rampant influx of illegal immigrant currently using the Eastern Province route to a stop.
