The Nigerian Immigration Service announced that it had arrested more than 100 suspected illegal immigrants in a mop-up operation in Ilorin, which began on Monday.

The Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Mr. Noble Ihejioha, said those arrested would be screened to determine their eligibility to stay in Nigeria.

He said those found to be living in the country illegally would be repatriated to their countries.

Ihejioha said the exercise, part of the ministerial directive to rid the country of illegal Immigrants, was continuous.

He said the issue of insecurity of the country's borders, especially in the northern part, had come to the fore in recent times.

He said the security challenge facing the country was partly from the influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring West African countries.

Ihejioha urged Nigerians to cooperate with the security agencies to deliver on its mandate and rid the country of illegal immigrants.