Eagle-eyed operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in a well-coordinated covert operation on Sunday arrested two high-profile suspected kidnap kingpins as they made to depart Nigeria for Saudi Arabia to observe the holy pilgrimage.
Security sources disclosed that the suspected kidnap kingpins had been on the DSS radar for over a year, and that screening at Hajj camps in different parts of the country offered the operatives the opportunity to arrest them.
According to the sources, DSS officers nabbed both kidnap kingpins at the Abuja and Sokoto Hajj camps.
While suspected kingpin Yahaya Yakubu, who lives in Paikon – Kore village in Gwagwalada area council of the FCT, was nabbed at the Abuja Hajj camp,
Zamfara-born Sani Aliyu Galadi was arrested nearly 750 kilometres away, at the Sokoto Hajj camp
DSS officers at the point of screening of both camps were able to recognise Zango and Aliyu, and promptly arrested them.
According to the security sources, Yakubu and Aliyu alias Mai Boxer, who is suspected to be responsible for attacks by bandits in the Sokoto- Zamfara axis, were oblivious of the fact that DSS officers were still on the lookout for them.
According to a source, Yakubu presented his passport alongside other Muslim travellers from Abuja who were on their way to observe this year’s hajj.
“It was this afternoon during the screening at the hajj camp in airport when the DSS operatives apprehended him and whisked him away,” he said.
An official at the Muslim pilgrims welfare board, who didn’t want his name mentioned, also confirmed the arrest of the suspect.
The source added that Aliyu has been flown from Sokoto to the DSS headquarters in Abuja.
Eagle-eyed operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in a well-coordinated covert operation on Sunday arrested three high-profile suspected kidnap kingpins as they made to depart Nigeria for Saudi Arabia to observe the holy pilgrimage.
Security sources disclosed that the suspected kidnap kingpins had been on the DSS radar for over a year, and that screening at Hajj camps in different parts of the country offered the operatives the opportunity to arrest them.
According to the sources, DSS officers nabbed both kidnap kingpins at the Abuja and Sokoto Hajj camps.
While suspected kingpin Yahaya Yakubu, who lives in Paikon – Kore village in Gwagwalada area council of the FCTwas nabbed at the Abuja Hajj camp, Zamfara-born Sani Aliyu Galadi was arrested nearly 750 kilometres away at the Sokoto Hajj camp
DSS officers at the point of screening of both camps were able to recognise Zango and Aliyu, and promptly arrested them.
According to the security sources, Zango and Aliyu alias Mai Boxer, who is suspected to be responsible for attacks by bandits in the Sokoto- Zamfara axis, were oblivious of the fact that DSS officers were still on the lookout for them.
The source added that Aliyu has been flown from Sokoto to the DSS headquarters in Abuja.