The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly released the names and photographs of 24 Nigerian nationals arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers across the country. The move forms part of the administration’s ongoing deportation campaign targeting foreign nationals with criminal records.
According to DHS, the individuals were detained in multiple states for a range of alleged offences, including mail and wire fraud, money laundering, drug-related crimes, identity theft, assault, forgery, weapons violations, and cruelty to a child.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the department described the publication as an effort to highlight “the worst of the worst criminal aliens” arrested by ICE. Officials said the arrests align with broader enforcement priorities aimed at removing high-priority immigration cases.
The 24 Nigerians were apprehended in Texas, Virginia, New Jersey, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Utah and New York.
Among those named:
• Emmanuel Omowaiye (Richmond, Texas) – mail fraud
• Laurene Onwuka (Chantilly, Virginia) – fraud and impersonation
• Olusegun Shonekan (Newark, New Jersey) – wire fraud
• Olusegun Olaseni (Greencastle, Indiana) – sale of amphetamine
• Peter Ude (Atlanta, Georgia) – wire fraud
• Newton Jemide (Fort Dix, New Jersey) – wire fraud, conspiracy and mail fraud
• Shedrack Umukoro (Yazoo City, Mississippi) – money laundering
• Olasoji Akinbode (Kearny, New Jersey) – fraud and impersonation
• Oluwatosin Afolabi (Conroe, Texas) – fraud
• Alameen Adetunji Tokosi (Chicago, Illinois) – drug possession
• Joshua Ipoade (Atlanta, Georgia) – wire fraud
• Michael Orji (Oxford, Wisconsin) – weapons offences, fraud, identity theft, wire fraud, false claims of citizenship and money laundering
• Ahmadu Apooyin (Baltimore, Maryland) – drug-related offence
• Teslim Kiriji (Yazoo City, Mississippi) – money laundering
• Onomen Uduebor (Seattle, Washington) – identity theft
• Charles Ochi (White Deer, Pennsylvania) – money laundering
• Daniel Eta (White Deer, Pennsylvania) – wire fraud
• Ifeanyi Ibennah (Tampa, Florida) – cruelty towards a child
• Kazeem Runsewe (Thomson, Illinois) – wire fraud
• Fatiu Lawal (Lompoc, California) – wire fraud
• Justin Akubueze (Orem, Utah) – money laundering
• Moyinoluwaseun Okeowo (Orlando, Florida) – larceny, forgery and concealing stolen property
• Babajide Oluwaseun Faseyi (Alden, New York) – assault
• Bright Eigbedion (Lompoc, California) – money laundering
DHS emphasised that the releases form part of its wider strategy to identify and remove immigrants with serious criminal histories.