Nigeria's immigration service on Tuesday arrested 45 Chinese nationals in the northern city of Kano for allegedly engaging in illegal textile trading, an official said.

Kano state comptroller of immigration, Emmanuel Brisca Ifeadi, said those arrested had been trading at Kantin Kwari textile market in Kano.

Nigerian law bans foreigners from the retail trading of textiles.

"The Chinese expatriates were found to be scavenging in the market, which is hurting the nation's economy," Ifeadi said.

Local textile retail traders in Kano have for years complained Chinese nationals were undercutting them.

Ifeadi said immigration authorities have decided to rid the markets in Kano and Lagos of people he called "economic saboteurs".

All those arrested -- including 11 women -- will be repatriated soon, he added.