Dutse — The Jigawa State Command of the Nigerien Immigration Service has arrested 244 Nigeriens in the state.

The state Comptroller of Immigration, Abubakar Aliyu Bamalli, said the 244 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in Dutse, the state capital and Birnin-Kudu Local Government Area, between Monday and Friday last week.

Bamalli told journalists that the command has commenced screening of the suspects, and that those found to have entered the country illegally will be repatriated immediately through the Maigatari Nigerian-Nigerien border.

The comptroller said already the biometric data of all those arrested have been captured and that if they return to the country, they will be prosecuted.

He thanked Governor Sule Lamido for providing them with five vehicles and the necessary logistics to carry out the exercise, adding that the operation will last till the commencement of Ramadan and will resume as soon as Ramadan is over.

Bamalli said the "operation flush out illegal immigrants" will be carried out in all the 27 local government areas of the state.