The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders were arrested at the Katsina Airport while returning from Saudi Arabia after the Hajj pilgrimage.
Tunji-Ojo said the suspects were tracked and apprehended with the support of Nigeria’s integrated identity management system, adding that they have since been handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
He said the operation underscored the effectiveness of ongoing reforms in the country’s identity and border security architecture.
The minister spoke at the State House, Abuja, shortly after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the 2026 National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act into law.
According to him, the new legislation marks a major milestone in strengthening national security and improving access to government services.
He said the administration inherited a fragmented identity system but had since worked to integrate key national databases.
“With this law, our security architecture can be enhanced. When Mr President came on board, we had a disconnected identity system. Getting a passport or driving licence was not linked to our central identity database,” he said.
“Today, you cannot get a Nigerian passport without verification from NIMC. Immigration data is now connected to the NIMC database, and this has significantly improved border control.
“Even last week Thursday, seven known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP were arrested at Katsina Airport on return from Mecca and handed over to the DSS. This was possible because the NIMC identity system is now integrated with immigration records and linked to Interpol systems in real time,” he added.
The development comes amid a dispute in Katsina State over allegations that some non-state actors were sponsored for Hajj.
A Trust TV programme had earlier featured Dr. Bashir Kurfi making the claim, but the Katsina State Government dismissed it as false.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu, described the allegation as “baseless, unfounded and misleading.”
He said the claim was aimed at discrediting ongoing security operations in the state and misleading the public.
The government also accused some individuals of politicising security issues and attempting to divert attention from gains recorded in the fight against banditry and other crimes.
