Nigeria's identity system helps arrest seven Boko Haram, ISWAP commanders returning from Hajj

Nigeria's interior minister announced Friday that the nation's integrated identity management system led to the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders. The individuals were apprehended at Katsina airport last Thursday upon their return from the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. They were subsequently handed over to the Department of State Services.

Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo stated that the arrests were facilitated by the seamless integration of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database with the Nigeria Immigration Service database and its connection to Interpol. He referenced past concerns about terrorists undertaking pilgrimages and highlighted how the current administration has improved the system.

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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.

"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," Tunji-Ojo said. "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."

The minister also noted that President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law on Friday. He explained that this new law will bolster Nigeria's security architecture by expediting the harmonization of identity databases and enhancing inter-agency cooperation. The legislation aims to improve the integrity of the National Identity Number system and strengthen the country's ability to combat identity theft, terrorism, financial crimes, and other security threats. Tunji-Ojo contrasted this with the fragmented identity management systems that existed before the current administration, where services like passport issuance were disconnected from the national database.

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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.