THE Katsina State Government has declined comment on the reported arrest of suspected bandit leaders at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina upon their arrival from this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Recall that the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had announced the arrest of seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) at the airport on June 18, who were subsequently handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS).
Tunji-Ojo, who disclosed this at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, added that the arrests were made possible by improvements in Nigeria’s integrated digital identity and border management system, which links the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), immigration records and Interpol databases.
In his reaction, Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu Danmusa, in an interview with BBC, said the matter falls entirely within the jurisdiction of federal security agencies, as the state government neither carried out nor authorised any arrest at the airport.
“These are security and administrative matters handled by federal agencies. The state government is not in a position to confirm or deny the reported arrests.
“Journalists should contact the Nigeria Immigration Service and the DSS for accurate information.”
Danmusa reiterated that border control, passenger screening and intelligence operations were the exclusive responsibilities of federal authorities.
Similarly, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Salisu Zango, told Daily Trust: “I am not aware of any arrest of bandit kingpins returning from Saudi Arabia.”
On his part, Executive Director of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Yunusa Abdullahi Dankama, stated: “I am not aware of any bandits who performed this year’s Hajj through the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board.
“I am also not aware of any arrests linked to the pilgrimage.”
Political analyst, Bashir Kurfi, had earlier alleged that some bandit leaders, including a notorious kingpin, were sponsored by the state government for the pilgrimage, adding: “What we are seeing is disturbing.
“Many bandits were allegedly sponsored by the Katsina State Government and went to Hajj. This raises serious questions about the screening process.”
The state government had immediately dismissed the allegation.
