Seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been arrested by Nigerian authorities as they returned from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where they took part in the holy pilgrimage.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this development on Friday to State House Correspondents in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo, who spoke after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the 2026 National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act into law, said the suspects were intercepted at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport in Katsina State last week Thursday on arrival from Mecca.
He said they have been handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS), adding that the operation was an evidence of the effectiveness of the government’s ongoing reforms in identity management and border security.
He described the new NIMC Act as a landmark achievement that would further enhance internal security and improve citizens’ access to government services.
He said the Tinubu administration inherited a fragmented identity management system in which critical databases operated independently, but explained that reforms had now integrated key government platforms.
Tunji-Ojo said: “With this law, our security architecture can be enhanced.
“When Mr. President came on board, we had a disconnected system within our identity data management system.
“At that time, getting a passport and getting a driving permit were completely disconnected from our identity database.
“But today, you can’t get a Nigerian passport without pulling data from NIMC.
“What you have in immigration is what you have in the NIMC database, and let me say this clearly, that it has even helped our border control process.
“I know, sometime ago, the Senate President was alarmed by how some terrorists went on pilgrimage, wondering how they crossed our borders.
“We inherited a fractured system.
“But I’m happy to tell you that even last week, Thursday, seven of the known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP at the point of coming back from Mecca were arrested in Katsina at the airport and were handed over to the DSS.
“This is only possible because NIMC’s ID is already connected with the immigration database, and it’s already speaking to even the Interpol 24/7, and we have been able to automate this.”
Tunji-Ojo said the new Act would accelerate the harmonisation of identity databases, improve the integrity of the National Identity Number (NIN) system, strengthen inter-agency collaboration and enhance Nigeria’s capacity to combat identity theft, terrorism, financial crimes and other security threats.
