The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders. The suspects were intercepted at the Katsina airport while reentering Nigeria following a Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
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The minister disclosed this on Friday 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 apprehended last Thursday and have since been handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS). He credited the breakthrough to the successful integration of the NIMC database with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Interpol networks.
“I recall that some time ago, the Senate President raised concerns on the floor of the Senate regarding how terrorists were managing to cross our borders for pilgrimages,” Tunji-Ojo said.
“What we inherited was a fractured system. However, I am pleased to announce that last Thursday, seven known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP were arrested at the Katsina airport upon their return and handed over to the DSS.”
He emphasized that the operation was made possible because the NIMC identification system is now linked to the immigration database and communicates with Interpol 24/7. “We have fully automated this process,” he added.
Border Security and the New Integrated Operations Centre
The minister also revealed that the Federal Government has completed a new Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) aimed at strengthening internal security and coordinating real-time surveillance across Nigeria’s air and maritime borders.
“With the new IOC built by the Ministry of Interior — a first in Nigeria’s history — all our maritime and air border systems are now fully synchronized and controlled,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
“That capability was evident last week. The suspects thought it was business as usual, believing they could leave and return undetected, but they were picked up right at the airport. We airlifted them to Abuja on Saturday, and they remain in custody as we speak.”
While the minister assured that Nigeria’s air borders are now effectively secured, he acknowledged that the country’s vast land borders remain vulnerable.
“Nobody can breach our air borders anymore. The land borders are still a bit porous, but we are actively working on resolving that,” he admitted.
Tunji-Ojo concluded by highlighting the importance of the newly signed NIMC Act 2026 in legitimizing these technological advancements.
“This new Act grants us the necessary legal backing and tools to execute these strategies. As the saying goes, there is no right way to do what is illegal. If the law does not support an action, no matter how good the intention, it is invalid. With this piece of legislation, we now have the legal framework to integrate these systems and better protect our nation.”
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