The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has arrested and detained 104 foreign nationals for various immigration offences during May 2026, citing a lack of patriotism among some Malawians as a factor undermining efforts to curb illegal migration.
Pasqually Zulu, public relations officer for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services in Blantyre, said some suspects remain in custody while others have been deported to their respective countries.
The foreign nationals include citizens of Bangladesh, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Nepal, and China.
The department commended inter-agency collaboration between Immigration, the Malawi Police Service, and the Malawi Defence Force in safeguarding national security and protecting socio-economic development from illegal migration.
In specific operations, five Bangladeshi and six Congolese nationals were apprehended by MDF officers in Chilumba, Karonga and they were handed over to the Regional Immigration Office in Mzuzu before transfer to Maula Prison.
Separately, 27 Ethiopian nationals were arrested in Salima by police with assistance from a Malawian.
All are being held at Maula Prison pending deportation procedures and other legal processes.
Immigration has therefore warned individuals aiding, abetting, or harbouring illegal migrants that such actions constitute serious offences punishable by law.
