The Directorate of State Services (DSS) has reported various successes in smashing criminal gangs, including kidnappers, fraudsters and Boko Haram terrorists.

In the latest update of the agency’s operations by Tony Opuiyo, its spokesman, the DSS said it has succeeded in degrading criminal gangs in several parts of the country in tactical operations in the last three months.

Among the criminals smashed were two gangs, a three-man and a four-man cell operating between Edo and Kogi states, either kidnapping or robbing people on the route.

Members of the three-man gang made up of Abubakar MUSA, Ismail MUSA and Suleiman MAINASARA, were arrested four weeks ago at Aduwawa in Benin city, Edo State.

“Prior to their arrest, they were members of a kidnap gang that terrorised commuters and residents of communities along the major highways between Edo and Kogi States”, Opuiyo said.

“Similarly, on 30th November, 2016, one Ibrahim ADAMU and three of his associates namely; Umar ABUBAKAR, Ibrahim SALISU and Abdullahi ABUBAKAR, were arrested at Ibilio village in Edo State. The quartets were part of a larger gang that specialised in the kidnap of people along the Edo-Kogi corridor.”

The DSS also on 20 December at Katsina-Ala town in Benue State,arrested another gang of suspected kidnappers comprising one Ernest BENZE, Terkura TYOKISHIR alias MPOTO, and Anun AONDONA.

The trio were identified as members of the notorious Terwase Akwaza kidnap syndicate.

In Kano, the DSS arrested Usman Sanusi MUSA aka KEKE, a notorious kidnap kingpin on 15th December, 2016, at Sabuwar-Kaura village in Doguwa LGA, Kano State.

MUSA is a high-profile criminal who, in conjunction with other criminal associates of his gang has been terrorising residents and communities in Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano and Plateau States, the agency reported It was in Kano also that the DSS operatives arrested three suspected Boko Haram fighters namely Samaila MUHAMMAD, Sanusi MUSA and Hudu MUHAMMAD.

They were arrested at Dirbunde village of Takai LGA in Kano State. The trio have perfected plans to carry out series of coordinated attacks with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in selected states of the North-West zone in the month of November, 2016 to disrupt festive activities during the end of year and the new year of 2017.

Operatives of the Service also arrested Sani DIGARU, along with one Mohammed ALI, on 25th December, 2016, about 1315 hours, along Gombe-Dukku road, Gombe.

It was however not clear whether DIGARU was still alive as the DSS reported that he was fatally shot when he attempted to escape from arrest.

His arrest was sequel to earlier intelligence that he was in possession of N2 million meant for the coordination of a terrorist operation in Yobe and Bauchi States.

The DSS has also uncovered a criminal gang which specialises in robbing foreigners, either visiting or living in Abuja.

For instance, on 5 December, 2016, the gang robbed an expatriate in a high brow hotel in Abuja and carted away his money and other valuables.

However, acting on actionable intelligence, and with the support and cooperation of sister agencies and the hotel management, the Service arrested one Ikechukwu OBADLEGWU and Ikechukwu Joseph EKE.

While OBADLEGWU carried out surveillance on potential targets for the group, EKE is the kingpin and mastermind of the whole operation.

Following this operation, the Service has successfully recovered almost all the stolen items.

In further disclosures, the DSS said it arrested a notorious fraudster at Gwaron Dutse, Kano Municipal, Kano State.

The fraudster was identified as Auwalu Abdullahi YAKASAI.

He was apprehended for allegedly defrauding Jaiz and Unity Banks of N100 Million and N50 Million respectively.

The Service also arrested one Bashir SHUAIBU, on 5 December, 2016 at Tsamiya village, Gezawa LGA of Kano State for obtaining money from unsuspecting victims through threat messages. He was arrested while in the process of defrauding another victim.

Just last Wednesday, operatives of the agency waded into the kidnap of a 10 year-old boy at Ben Kalio Housing Estate, Damaturu.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of N5 million.

However, about 1920 hours same day, the Service rescued Muhd Yusuf DAYA, at Potiskum town, Potiskum LGA.

Meanwhile, the victim’s mother Barakat DAYA and her friend, Rukaiya DANLADI, have been arrested for culpability in the incident, DSS said.

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