The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that Nigeria's integrated identity management system played a key role in the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders who were returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.
The minister made this known on Friday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law. His remarks were contained in a statement issued by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the seven suspects were intercepted last Thursday at the Katsina airport after arriving from Mecca. He said they were immediately taken into custody and handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
The minister explained that the successful operation was made possible through the integration of the National Identity Management Commission's database with that of the Nigeria Immigration Service, as well as its direct connection to Interpol's global network.
He recalled concerns previously raised by the President of the Senate over how suspected terrorists had managed to travel abroad for pilgrimage despite existing security measures, noting that the current administration inherited a fragmented identity management system.
Tunji-Ojo stated, "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.
"But 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.
"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."
He further noted that the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 would reinforce Nigeria's security framework by promoting greater harmonisation of identity databases and improving cooperation among government agencies.
According to the minister, the law will strengthen the credibility of the National Identity Number (NIN) system while enhancing the country's ability to tackle identity theft, terrorism, financial crimes, and other security challenges.
Tunji-Ojo also pointed out that before the current administration came into office, Nigeria's identity management infrastructure operated in isolation, with key services such as passport issuance and driver's licence processing not linked to the national identity database.
"When Mr President came on board, we had a disconnected system within our identity data management system. At that time, getting a passport and getting a driving permit were completely disconnected from our identity database.
"But today, you can't get a Nigerian passport without pulling data from NIMC," he said.
President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 on Friday in the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, and other senior government officials.
ADEOLA KUNLE
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