NIMC Database Helped Arrest Seven Boko Haram, ISWAP Commanders Returning from Hajj — Minister

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that Nigeria’s integrated identity management system led to the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.

Tunji-Ojo 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 a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the minister said the suspects were intercepted last Thursday at Katsina Airport upon their return from Mecca before being handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS).

Tunji-Ojo attributed the successful operation to the integration of the National Identity Management Commission database with the Nigeria Immigration Service database, which is also linked to Interpol’s global security network.

He explained that the technology-driven identity verification system has significantly strengthened Nigeria’s border security and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

“I know sometime ago the Senate President was alarmed by how some terrorists went on pilgrimage, wondering how they crossed our borders. We inherited a fractured system,” he said.

“But I am 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 handed over to the DSS.”

The minister noted that such arrests were previously difficult because Nigeria’s identity management system operated in isolation, with key government agencies maintaining separate databases.

He explained that under the current administration, identity systems have been harmonised, making it impossible for individuals to obtain official government services without proper identity verification through the National Identity Number database.

“When President Bola Tinubu assumed office, we had a disconnected identity management system. Today, you cannot obtain a Nigerian passport without your information being verified through the NIMC database,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo added that the newly signed NIMC Act 2026 would further strengthen national security by improving coordination among government agencies and enhancing efforts to combat terrorism, identity theft, financial crimes and other security threats.

President Tinubu signed the legislation in the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and other senior government officials, describing identity management as a critical component of Nigeria’s national security architecture.