The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed that several individuals on INTERPOL’s red list have recently been apprehended at Nigerian airports, following intensified border surveillance and technological upgrades across the country.
Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at a regional workshop on Maritime Border Security themed “Regional Maritime Border Security in the Context of Counter Terrorism in the Gulf of Guinea,” the minister said the arrests were made possible through the deployment of advanced surveillance and intelligence-gathering systems.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the suspects, who were flagged as wanted criminals by countries across Europe—including Italy and the Republic of Ireland—were intercepted within just two days of entering Nigeria.
“I can tell you that we have built a robust database, and we are beginning to reap the rewards. Within two days, several individuals on INTERPOL’s red list were apprehended at our airports. These are people who, in the past, could have entered Nigeria undetected, but today, they cannot,” he stated.
He emphasized that the successful arrests underscore the growing efficiency of Nigeria’s border control systems, which are now fully integrated into a central database.
Highlighting the progress made, the minister revealed that Nigeria now operates an Advanced Passenger Information (API) system for the first time—a significant milestone in the nation’s immigration history.
The API system enables the pre-profiling of passengers, allowing immigration officers to assess their backgrounds, travel history, and possible threats before they arrive on Nigerian soil.
“Before President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria was among the few countries without an API solution. Today, we can pre-profile every individual coming into Nigeria and detect security threats before they even land,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He added that the deployment of this technology aligns with international protocols and fulfills Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations framework on border and aviation security.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening internal security and maintaining international cooperation in the fight against cross-border crimes and terrorism.