Nigeria’s Ministry of Interior says seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders are arrested after returning from the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. According to the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the men were intercepted at Katsina Airport as they came back from Mecca and were taken into custody following the government’s screening and identification process. The reports say the arrests happened “last week Thursday,” with the minister announcing the development publicly afterward.
The outlets describe the detainees as “known” or “suspected” commanders linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Daily Post and Premium Times add that the government attributes the operation to Nigeria’s integrated digital identity and security verification system, which is used to cross-check identities during travel.
All accounts frame the arrests as an effort to prevent suspected militants from returning to active operations, and they report that the minister’s statement is made in the context of ongoing federal security and administrative developments.
