Seven Boko Haram ISWAP Commanders Arrested Returning From Hajj In Katsina

[Akinola Kholid]

Security operatives have arrested seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) at Katsina Airport after they returned from the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Nigeria's Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the arrests and said the suspects were quickly handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS).

The minister explained that the suspects were identified through Nigeria's integrated national identity management system. He said the improved database helped security agencies detect them as they arrived in the country from Mecca.

Speaking after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the 2026 National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act into law, Tunji-Ojo said the arrests show how recent reforms are strengthening Nigeria's security system. According to him, government databases now work together, making it easier to identify security threats.

Tunji-Ojo said it is now impossible to obtain a Nigerian passport without verification through the NIMC database. He added that the immigration system is connected to both NIMC and Interpol around the clock, helping security agencies monitor and stop wanted individuals.

The minister's comments came after Dr. Bashir Kurfi claimed during a Trust TV programme that the Katsina State Government sponsored some non-state actors to perform the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage. The statement attracted public attention and sparked debate.

The Katsina State Government denied the allegation, describing it as false and without evidence. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mua'zu, said the claims were meant to mislead the public, weaken confidence in security efforts, and distract from recent progress made against insecurity in the state.

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