Nigerian Army, DSS Arrest Suspected Kidnapper While Collecting Ransom
- Nigerian Army troops and DSS operatives launched a joint operation in Eggon LGA, Nasarawa State, after a tip-off about a kidnapping threat against a woman
- The suspect, Mukaila Iliyasu, allegedly demanded ₦200,000 from a female resident or face abduction
- A soldier went undercover as part of the sting operation, with security forces recovering the full ransom amount
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Nasarawa State - Nigerian Army troops and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives have arrested a man suspected of threatening to kidnap a woman in Nasarawa State if she did not pay a ₦200,000 ransom.
The suspect, Mukaila Iliyasu, was caught at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area on October 29, during a coordinated sting operation involving Sector 2 of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke and DSS personnel.
Source: Getty Images
As reported by Daily Trust, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, confirmed the arrest in an official statement.
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How the undercover sting unfolded
According to the statement, DSS operatives first received intelligence that Iliyasu had threatened to abduct a local woman unless she handed over ₦200,000.
They quickly passed the information to the military, which triggered the deployment of a joint team to intercept him.
To trap the suspect, a soldier was embedded undercover and posed as the person delivering the ransom on behalf of the threatened woman. Iliyasu was caught in the act as he collected the money, and security operatives recovered the full ₦200,000 on the spot.
After his arrest, Iliyasu was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Army commander commends operation
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, praised the troops and DSS operatives for their professionalism and coordination during the operation.
Gara called on security personnel to maintain the same level of collaboration and to keep strengthening intelligence sharing as part of efforts to curb kidnapping and other criminal threats across their areas of responsibility.
He also stressed the importance of continued inter-agency cooperation in protecting civilians and preserving peace in the region.
The military described the operation as a successful intelligence-led intervention that not only led to an arrest but also prevented what could have been a kidnapping.
Legit.ng earlier reported that former NIA Director-General Ambassador Ahmed Rufai linked Nigeria's kidnapping crisis to terrorist groups, bandit militias, informants and financial facilitators.
Source: Original
Oyo abduction: How 8 kidnappers were arrested
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Bayo Onanuga confirmed that eight kidnappers were arrested and handed over to the DSS following a rescue operation that freed abducted schoolchildren.
Security agencies neutralised some of the kidnappers during the operation, and a kingpin whose release was demanded by the abductors remains under prosecution.
Onanuga said the government made no concessions to secure the release, adding that a full security briefing would follow
Source: Legit.ng
