Seven suspected commanders from Boko Haram and ISWAP have been arrested in Nigeria. They were nabbed at Katsina airport after returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Security personnel detained the men immediately upon arrival last Thursday at Umaru Musa Yar'Adua International Airport. Officers then transported them to Abuja for interrogation.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the operation in the capital on Wednesday. He credited the success to Nigeria's integrated identity and immigration databases.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the Department of State Services now has custody of the suspects. The breakthrough relied on real-time data sharing between multiple security platforms.
President Bola Tinubu recently signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law. This enabled the synchronisation of databases across immigration and law enforcement agencies.
Immigration officials can now identify suspects through continuous coordination with Interpol records. The 24-hour monitoring system flags individuals before they enter Nigerian territory.
The arrests mark a significant shift in border security operations. Officials say the integrated system has transformed how they track persons of interest.
Questions have emerged about how these men initially left Nigeria for Saudi Arabia. Some observers wonder whether state-level officials facilitated their departure.
Katsina State Government has denied allegations it sponsored their travel logistics. The federal authorities have not released details about their transport methods.
Officials haven't confirmed whether broader investigations into the suspects' networks are underway. The government also declined to say if other operatives remain at large.
