Lt. Col. Aliyu Paiko and several soldiers killed during a Boko Haram attack in Kashimri, Borno State; Operation Hadin Kai disrupted insurgent plans.
The Federal Government says security agencies have arrested seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, highlighting the growing role of integrated identity systems in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law.
According to the minister, security operatives arrested the suspects last Thursday at the Katsina airport after they returned from Mecca and subsequently handed them over to the Department of State Services (DSS).
Tunji-Ojo said the arrests were made possible through the integration of the National Identity Management Commission database with the Nigeria Immigration Service database and its connection to Interpol.
“I’m happy to tell you that even last week, seven known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP, at the point of coming back from Mecca, were arrested in Katsina at the airport and handed over to the DSS,” he said.
The minister said the development demonstrates how technology-driven identity management is strengthening border security and helping security agencies track suspected terrorists.
He noted that concerns had previously been raised about how terror suspects were able to travel for religious pilgrimages despite being on security watchlists.
According to him, the newly signed NIMC Act 2026 will deepen the integration of national identity databases, improve information sharing among security agencies and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Tunji-Ojo said the law would enhance the integrity of the National Identity Number system while improving the country’s ability to combat terrorism, identity theft, financial crimes and other transnational security threats.
He explained that prior to the current administration, Nigeria’s identity management systems operated independently, making it difficult for agencies to share information effectively.
“When President Tinubu came on board, our identity management system was disconnected. Obtaining a passport and obtaining a driver’s licence were not linked to the national identity database. Today, you cannot obtain a Nigerian passport without data being verified through NIMC,” the minister said.
President Bola Tinubu signed the NIMC Act 2026 in the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and other senior government officials.
The reported arrests underscore the increasing use of digital identity systems and inter-agency collaboration as tools for strengthening border control, disrupting terrorist networks and improving national security.
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