The Federal Government has disclosed that seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were arrested at the Katsina airport while returning from the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the suspects were intercepted last Thursday and handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS).
Speaking at the State House in Abuja after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, Tunji-Ojo attributed the arrests to the integration of Nigeria’s identity management and immigration databases.
He said the operation demonstrated the impact of the Federal Government’s reforms in identity management and border security.
According to the minister, the Tinubu administration inherited a fragmented identity management system in which government databases operated independently, but the ongoing reforms have now linked critical platforms.
“With this law, our security architecture can be enhanced. When Mr President came on board, we had a disconnected identity data management system. Today, you cannot obtain a Nigerian passport without pulling data from NIMC,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the integration of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database with the Nigeria Immigration Service and Interpol has significantly strengthened border security.
“What you have in immigration is what you have in the NIMC database. Last Thursday, seven known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP were arrested at Katsina airport while returning from Mecca and handed over to the DSS.
“This was possible because the NIMC database is connected to the immigration system and communicates with Interpol 24/7. We have automated the process,” he added.
The minister said the newly signed NIMC Act would further strengthen identity management, improve inter-agency collaboration and enhance Nigeria’s capacity to combat terrorism, identity theft, financial crimes and other security threats.
The disclosure comes days after security analyst Dr. Bashir Kurfi alleged during a Trust TV programme that the Katsina State Government sponsored some non-state actors for the Hajj pilgrimage.
The allegation was, however, rejected by the Katsina State Government.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mua’zu, described the claim as false, baseless and intended to mislead the public.
He said the allegation was aimed at undermining the efforts of the state government and security agencies in addressing insecurity.
The commissioner further argued that the claims were being circulated at a time when security agencies were recording significant successes against banditry and other criminal activities in the state.
He also accused some individuals of politicising security issues and attempting to distract public attention from the progress recorded in the government’s security operations.
(The Whistler)
