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Nigeria's security agencies have arrested seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as they returned from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has disclosed.
The suspects were arrested last Thursday at Umaru Musa Yar'Adua International Airport in Katsina State after arriving from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, according to the minister.
Tunji-Ojo announced the development on Friday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law.
"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," the minister said.
He said the arrests were made possible through Nigeria's integrated digital identity and border management system, which now links the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database with immigration records and international security platforms.
"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 minister said the current administration inherited fragmented identity systems that prevented effective information sharing among government agencies.
"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," he said.
Tunji-Ojo did not reveal the identities of the suspects or state whether they had been on security watchlists before travelling to Saudi Arabia. He also did not say how they obtained travel clearance or whether formal charges have been filed against them.
As of the time of filing this report, the Department of State Services (DSS), which the minister said had taken custody of the suspects, had not issued an official statement. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has also not commented on the arrests.
Tinubu Signs New NIMC Act
President Tinubu on Friday signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law, replacing the National Identity Management Commission Act of 2007.
According to government officials, the new legislation strengthens the legal framework for Nigeria's digital identity system, expands the role of NIMC in identity management, and enhances secure electronic authentication across government institutions and authorised private-sector platforms.
Officials say the reforms are expected to improve identity verification, reduce identity fraud, strengthen border security, and enhance intelligence sharing among security agencies.
The minister cited the latest arrests as evidence of how the integrated identity system is already supporting counterterrorism operations and border security.
The announcement comes amid renewed public scrutiny of Hajj screening processes following recent allegations that the Katsina State Government sponsored some bandit leaders for the pilgrimage. The state government has denied the claims, describing them as false and politically motivated.
Tunji-Ojo did not suggest that the seven suspects were among government-sponsored pilgrims or link their arrests to the allegations.
Authorities are expected to provide further details on the identities of the suspects and any charges against them in the coming days.
