The Federal Government has disclosed that seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province were arrested at the Katsina airport while returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the suspects were apprehended through Nigeria's integrated identity management system before being handed over to the Department of State Services for further investigation.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after President Bola Tinubu signed the 2026 National Identity Management Commission Act into law, the minister described the arrests as proof that recent reforms in identity management and border security were producing results.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the previous administration operated a fragmented identity system that made it difficult for security agencies to effectively monitor travellers, but the current government has linked key databases to strengthen national security.
He said, "When President Tinubu assumed office, our identity management system was disconnected. Today, you cannot obtain a Nigerian passport without verification through the NIMC database, while immigration records are now fully integrated with the national identity system."
The minister added, "Just last Thursday, seven known Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders were arrested at the Katsina airport as they returned from Mecca. They were immediately handed over to the DSS. Such an operation became possible because the NIMC database is now connected to immigration records and also interfaces with Interpol's system."
The announcement comes days after claims by security analyst Dr. Bashir Kurfi that the Katsina State Government sponsored some non-state actors for the Hajj.
The state government dismissed the allegation, describing it as false and intended to mislead the public.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mua'zu, the government maintained that the accusation lacked any factual basis, insisting it was aimed at undermining ongoing security operations and diverting attention from gains recorded in the fight against banditry and other criminal activities.
(Daily Trust)
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