The Federal Government has announced the arrest of seven suspected commanders linked to the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist groups upon their return from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The suspects were apprehended at the Katsina Airport shortly after arriving in Nigeria, following intelligence generated through the country's newly integrated digital identity and security verification system.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed the development on Friday after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, into law at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to the minister, the operation was made possible through the integration of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), enabling security agencies to identify and intercept high-risk individuals.
Tunji-Ojo said the suspects, described as known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP, were arrested immediately after arriving from Mecca and were subsequently handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
He noted that the arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of the Federal Government's ongoing reforms in identity management and border security, adding that the newly signed NIMC Act is designed to eliminate data silos, strengthen the National Identity Number (NIN) system, and improve collaboration among security and intelligence agencies.
The minister also explained that the integrated platform has strengthened passport processing by ensuring that every application undergoes real-time identity verification through the central NIMC database, reducing opportunities for identity fraud and enhancing national security.
The Federal Government expressed confidence that the unified digital identity system will further improve Nigeria's capacity to combat terrorism, transnational crime, identity theft and other security threats through enhanced intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement.
