LUSAKA, Aug. 5 — Immigration authorities in Zambia on Thursday said they arrested 51 illegal Ethiopians who were on their way to South Africa.
Namati Nshinka, the Immigration Department Spokesperson, said the officers received intelligence information of some suspected illegal immigrants hidden at two villagers in northern Zambia’s Mbala district.
He said a door-to-door inspection in the two villages resulted in the discovery of undocumented Ethiopians locked in two different houses, adding that preliminary interviews established that unknown people had recruited the Ethiopians by luring them with promises of jobs in South Africa.
“They revealed that they left Ethiopia four months ago and embarked on the daunting perilous journey to their promised land, passing through forest thickets, being fed every three days, and later transported in a containerized truck,” he said in a statement.
The immigration officials have since arrested three Zambians to assist with investigations. (Xinhua)
Zambia intercepts 51 illegal Ethiopians
