DSS arrests Senator Ayodele Arise's kidnappers, others

Director-General of Department of State Service, DSS, Mr Lawal Daura

The Department of State Services (DSS) has unveiled various arrests to rid the country of crimes, including the apprehension of two kidnap suspects in Abuja on June 17.

The Service said it singularly or in conjunction with other agencies embarked on operations aimed at degrading or eliminating the capabilities of unscrupulous elements.

These include suspected kidnappers, cultists, fraudsters, militia members and terrorists, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, DSS spokesman, said in a statement on Thursday.

The latest in the list of arrests are the two suspects, Usman (aka Siddi) and Ibrahim Muhammed (aka Ganaja), who are members of dreaded Basalube kidnap group.

The suspects had been involved in several kidnap activities, including that of Senator Ayodele Arise on 5th December, 2017 in Kogi State and a Portuguese National, Mr. Emmanuel Machada on 24th October, 2017.

The suspects, DSS alleged killed two policemen during the kidnap of the Portuguese.

In order to flush out the Basalube kidnap gang, the Service further carried out an operation in which one of the group’s notorious members, Tambaya Umar, was arrested on 24th April, 2018 at Odigie Village, Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State.

Umar was arrested alongside Ibrahim Ali, Abubakar Mohammed, Aliyu Manu and Umar Mohammed for their complicity in the group’s numerous criminal acts.

Earlier in the year, on 27th March, 2018, in Calabar town, five members of a kidnap syndicate namely were arrested.

They are Simeon Paul, Emmanuel Anna Etim, Eric John Out, Famous Eket Oleke and Felix Bassey Eshet.

The items recovered from them, include one AK-47 Rifle, three empty AK-47 magazines, 38 rounds of live ammunition and two live rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Also recovered was one Mossberg pump action rifle and 15 live cartridges of ammunition.

DSS also reported that on 14th April, 2018, Adamu Hassan (aka Aiki), the dangerous gang leader of a kidnap syndicate was arrested at Ogbomosho, Osun State.

Hassan, it alleged was responsible for the kidnap of a Pastor at Ibillo, Edo State and made confession that led to the arrest of some of accomplices Umar Abdullahi (aka Wukari) and Hassan Ahmed, gunrunners and associates.

“Determined to continuously thwart the budding cells of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) and Boko Haram, the Service conducted special operations on identified targets.

“This led to the successful arrest of Bashiru Adams and Rufai Sajo, on 5th May, 2018 at Kukuntu Village, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.’’

Umar Dogo, another suspected member of ISWA was arrested on 28th April, 2018, at Muda Lawal Market, Bauchi.

“The suspects were discovered to have concluded plans to not only perpetuate the ideals of the Movement in the area, but to, in collaboration with Boko Haram, carry out heinous violent attacks on innocent persons.

“Following intelligence reports, Adamu Hassan (aka Bale) and Abubakr Abubakar (aka Alhaji /Buba), experts in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) assembly were arrested.’’

In Taraba, DSS said Mohammed Saleh (aka Azrak) and Iliyasu Abubakar (aka Ruwa) suspected to be members of Boko Haram and cattle rustlers were arrested on April 19.

“Between 9th and 29th May 2018, several associates of the dreaded kidnapper, Terwase Akwaza (aka Gana) were arrested at various locations in Benue State.

Those arrested were Ada Kajo James, Tikaa Ornen Desmond and Joseph Ikpa and a Toyota Venza Sport Utility Vehicle was recovered from them.

“ Similarly, on 29th May, 2018, Umar Ali, leader of a kidnap syndicate notable for operating around Edo and Delta States was arrested at Oghara, Ethiope West LGA, Delta State.

“Also arrested were some of Ali’s lieutenants – Faruk Bello, Bello Ali, Mohammed Ali and Abdullahi Ali.

“This gang was responsible for the abduction of a Turkish national in Ifaki, Ekiti State on 6th May, 2018.’’

The service rescued one Mr Bimbo Adebiyi, a kidnapped victim on 14th May, 2018, during a raid of the group’s hideout at Grace Estate, Ajah, Lagos State and some members of the kidnap gang were arrested.

They are Tunde Akinsola, Wakil Alade, Olumide Braimoh, Raymond Adingiou, Isiaq Abesin, Victoria Nwabueze and Zabala Amolokwe.