The Katsina State Government has refused to comment on reports of the arrest of suspected bandit leaders at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina upon their return from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.
The arrests were announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who said seven suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were detained at the airport and handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS).
The minister attributed the success of the operation to Nigeria’s integrated digital identity and border management system, which connects NIMC, immigration, and Interpol databases.
Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu Danmusa, said the matter is strictly within the jurisdiction of federal security agencies.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Danmusa clarified that the state government neither carried out nor authorised any arrests at the airport.
He noted that border control, passenger screening, and intelligence operations are federal responsibilities.
“The state government is not in a position to confirm or deny the reported arrests,” he stated, directing journalists to the Nigeria Immigration Service and the DSS for further information.
The development has sparked discussions in the state, amid earlier allegations that some suspected bandits participated in the Hajj through arrangements linked to the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board claims the government has consistently denied.
The Executive Director of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Yunusa Abdullahi Dankama, also dismissed the allegations, saying he was not aware of any bandits using the board’s platform or of any related arrests.
The identities of the arrested suspects have not been publicly released by security authorities.
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