Seven Suspected Terrorist Commanders Arrested Returning from Hajj, FG Reveals

The Federal Government says security agencies have arrested seven men identified as suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after they arrived at Katsina Airport from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed the development on Friday shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law.

According to the minister, the suspects were intercepted on their return from Mecca and immediately handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.

“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.

He attributed the arrests to the integration of the National Identity Management Commission’s database with the Nigeria Immigration Service’s digital platform, which he said has significantly strengthened border security and identity verification.

Tunji-Ojo explained that the system is now linked to international security databases, including Interpol, enabling authorities to identify persons of security interest in real time.

“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 added.

The minister’s announcement has sparked fresh questions over how individuals identified by the government as suspected terrorist commanders were able to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage and return to Nigeria before being apprehended.

The development has also revived public attention on earlier allegations that the Katsina State Government sponsored some suspected terrorists for the pilgrimage. The state government has consistently denied the allegation, insisting that only duly verified pilgrims benefited from its Hajj support programme.

Authorities have yet to release the identities of the seven suspects, while the Department of State Services has not issued a separate statement on the arrests.