Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a suspected kidnapper, Yahaya Zango, at the Hajj camp in Abuja during the screening of pilgrims preparing for their journey to Saudi Arabia, a security source told Daily Trust.
Zango, who lives in the Paikon-Kore area of Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had reportedly been on the wanted list of security agencies for his alleged involvement in a series of kidnapping cases.
According to the source, DSS operatives apprehended Zango on Sunday after he presented his passport as part of a group of Muslim pilgrims scheduled for this year’s Hajj.
"It was this afternoon during the screening at the hajj camp in (the) airport when the DSS operatives apprehended him and whisked him away," the source says.
A senior official from the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the arrest. Zango had allegedly been evading capture amid an intense manhunt by security forces.
As of the time of reporting, the DSS has not released an official statement regarding the arrest.
Nigeria continues to battle widespread security challenges as kidnapping has become a pervasive national crisis, affecting all regions, including the South and Middle Belt, with victims ranging from students and government officials to businesspeople and ordinary citizens.
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