Comptroller of Immigration Service in Kwara State, Mrs Abimbola Ojo, has warned illegal immigrants in the state to begin to return to their countries to avoid repatriation.

She said the service had dispatched its men to various flash points across the 16 LGAs of the state to keep the state secure.

The newly deployed comptroller told newsmen that the service was determined to clear the state of illegal and irregular immigrants.

She urged members of the public to supply the agency with necessary information on security threats posed by illegal immigrants.

According to her, the service has entered into an agreement with other security agencies to clear the state of illegal migrants.

Speaking on the ongoing recruitment exercise into the service, Mrs Ojo said applicants were being screened on merit.

"There can't be case of any preferential treatment because we don't do the selection. This is the second stage of the recruitment exercise. The whole exercise is handled by the presidential committee. They are assisting us to do the recruitment because of the sham that was recorded the last time. But now, they did it based on merit. People were selected through the computer. They (applicants) are here so that we can know them one on one, physical document verification and probably comment that could be raised from whatever they are presenting. So the whole thing is on merit. There is no sham. It is not as if there is favouritism because we don't know them. It is the consultancy firm that was hired by the presidential committee that is handling it", she said.