DSS arrests kidnapping syndicate in Sokoto

Men of the Department of State Security Service, Sokoto State Command, have arrested a seven-man kidnapping gang operating in the Goronyo Local Government Area of the state.

Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters, the DSS state Director, Alhaji Tijani Kafa, said the suspects were arrested between April 15 and 19, 2017.

He added that the leader of the syndicate, identified as Abdullahi Mohammed, aka Hanazuwa, was arrested on April 19, 2017, with a Dane gun through a joint military operation.

Other members of the syndicate are Shabi Danmusa, Muhammed Abdullahi, Isah Aliyu, Ibrahim Maye, Yusuf Ibrahim and one Sule — all from Taloka village in the Sabon Birni LGA.

Kafa added that the suspected kidnappers, who had terrorised wealthy rural farmers, had made confessional statements and would soon appear in court.

He explained that the gang members met their Waterloo when their spiritual head, Muhammed Abdullahi, aka Boka, after an operation, went back to their victim’s family and promised them spiritual protection.

He said, “The security operatives, however, latched on this clue, leading to the arrest of the syndicate.

“The group also kidnapped one Nasiru Maigoro on February 24, 2017, in connivance with a family member at Goronyo, and moved him to Zango Arab, in the Sabon Birni LGA, bordering the Niger Republic.

“The victim was kept with Hanazuwa until the family paid a ransom of N1m, after beating down the kidnappers’ initial demand of N10m.”