The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that Nigeria’s integrated identity management system led to the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders who were returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.
The minister disclosed this at the Presidential Villa in Abuja shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the suspects were arrested last Thursday at the Katsina Airport after arriving from Mecca and were immediately handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
He explained that the arrests became possible because the NIMC database is now integrated with the Nigeria Immigration Service database and connected to Interpol, allowing security agencies to identify and track suspected criminals more effectively.
“Seven known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP were arrested at Katsina Airport while returning from Mecca. This was only possible because NIMC’s identity database is now connected with immigration and Interpol,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister added that the newly signed NIMC Act 2026 will further strengthen Nigeria’s security by improving identity verification, enhancing cooperation among security agencies, and helping to combat terrorism, identity theft and other crimes.
He noted that before the current administration, Nigeria’s identity management system was fragmented, making it difficult for government agencies to share information effectively.
