Department of State Security (DSS) arrests 2 ‘wanted’ kidnappers at Abuja, Sokoto Hajj camps

Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) yesterday arrested two high-profile suspected kidnap kingpins as they made to depart Nigeria for Saudi Arabia to observe the holy pilgrimage....READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE |

Security sources said 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.

In a well-coordinated covert operation, the DSS officers were able to recognise Zango and Aliyu at the point of screening at the camps 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.