The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed that several criminals on INTERPOL red notice were recently apprehended at Nigerian airports.
According to him, these arrests took place within a span of just two days and involved individuals declared wanted by various countries across Europe, including Italy and the Republic of Ireland.
Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday at a regional workshop themed “Regional Maritime Border Security in the Context of Counter Terrorism in the Gulf of Guinea,” Tunji-Ojo attributed the success to Nigeria’s growing investment in surveillance and intelligence technology at border entry points.
He explained that the arrests were a direct result of improved coordination between airport surveillance systems and the country’s central intelligence database.
“These individuals would have entered Nigeria undetected 18 years ago,” the minister said, “but today, our terminals are fully integrated with a central system that immediately flags red-listed persons.”
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Tunji-Ojo also revealed that for the first time in Nigeria’s history, the country now operates an Advanced Passenger Information, API, system.
The API allows immigration officers to conduct background checks and review travel histories of incoming passengers before they arrive in Nigeria. “Before President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria lacked this capacity. Today, with the API solution in place, our security agencies can pre-profile every traveler and assess potential threats in real time,” he added.
The minister emphasized that the deployment of this system not only enhances national security but also aligns Nigeria with its international obligations under the UN API mandate.
Also speaking at the event, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, noted that the Service plays a critical role in safeguarding the country’s maritime borders.
She pointed to threats such as illegal oil bunkering, fishing, piracy, and armed robbery, which pose serious risks to maritime safety and Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
Together, both officials reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its border security through technological innovation and strategic collaboration with international law enforcement agencies.
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