The Zambian Department of Immigration has confirmed the apprehension of 24 suspected illegal immigrants in two separate operations conducted by the Kabwe Regional Immigration Office and Victoria Falls Border Control on November 27 and 29, 2025. On November 27, the Kabwe Regional Immigration Office intercepted a Toyota Vellfire (registration BAX 4018) along Mukonchi Road after a high-speed chase, leading to the arrest of 10 suspected illegal immigrants—nine Somalis and one Ethiopian—alongside 32-year-old Zambian national Willard Sikalumba, believed to be the co-driver. Department of Immigration Chief Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said the vehicle’s driver, 32-year-old Frank Nyondo, along with five Somalis and one Ethiopian, initially escaped.
Later, one Somali was apprehended by Mulungushi University security personnel who alerted the Kabwe office after spotting him on campus. On November 29, Nyondo and the remaining five suspected illegal immigrants—four Somalis and one Ethiopian—were apprehended with assistance from the local community. In total, the Kabwe operation resulted in the detention of 15 suspected illegal immigrants, comprising 13 Somalis and two Ethiopians aged between 18 and 40, along with two Zambians accused of aiding their illegal entry.
Preliminary investigations indicate the group entered Zambia through Tanzania en route to South Africa. Six of the 15 suspects had valid passports but lacked Zambian entry stamps, while the remaining nine had no documents. “All suspects have been detained at Mukobeko Correctional Facility, pending further investigations and possible prosecution.
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The Toyota Vellfire has since been impounded to aid ongoing investigations,” Nshinka said. Separately, on November 29, Victoria Falls Border Control officers apprehended nine Somali nationals aged 15 to 45 during routine patrols for failing to report to the nearest Immigration Officer upon entry. The suspects were intercepted in Machenje Village near Gorge Twenty-Five as they attempted to leave Zambia illegally.
“All nine had valid passports with Tanzanian endorsement stamps but lacked Zambian entry endorsement stamps, confirming their illegal entry,” Nshinka said. One Zimbabwean national suspected of assisting them escaped and remains at large. Nshinka commended the alertness and professionalism of officers in both Kabwe and Victoria Falls and highlighted the critical role of public cooperation in the operations’ success. “We continue to urge members of the public, especially drivers and transport operators, to refrain from aiding and abetting illegal immigrants, as such actions constitute serious offences that attract prosecution, including the possible forfeiture of vehicles used in the commission of these crimes,” he added.
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