The Department of State Services (DSS) has said its operatives arrested one Lawal Mohammed, said to be a major financier and armourer of the dreaded Basalube kidnap gang.
A statement on Tuesday by DSS official Tony Opuiyo said he was arrested at Obajana in Kogi state by a joint team of the Service and military.
He said two other members of the gang; Mohammed Tukur and Abubakar Ibrahim were also arrested in the operation.
He added that Tukur was identified as the Chief surveillance officer of the gang as he coordinated the gang’s movement across Rivers, Edo, Delta, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja preparatory to the execution of their operations.
He said three GSM phones and twenty Five bottles of psychotropic inducers were recovered from the suspects.
Opuiyo also said at Lower Afesere, Ughelli North LGA, Delta State, Ali Abubakar, a notorious kidnapper and top ranking member of the same Basulube gang was also arrested.
He said this arrest was carried out while he was perfecting plans to carry out kidnap operations in Obajana, Kogi State.
He said other members of the gang arrested include; Abubakareem Idrisa, Bashir Tsoho, Sanusi Abubakar, Nuhu Muhammad and Abubakar Abdulhameed.
He said the Service also arrested Abubakar Danlansu, driver and weapon courier of the group, adding that the suspect was arrested enroute Edo state from where he was to convey weapons to Obajana, Kogi State for the gang’s planned kidnap operations.
Opuiyo also said on 24th March, 2018, at the outskirts of Wudil town, Wudil LGA, the Service arrested a suspected Boko Haram element, Sanusi Bello.
He said the suspect is believed to be carrying out surveillance activities for the extremist group in the area.
He said at the point of his arrest, several handsets, multiple identity cards including those of a Police Constable and neighbourhood vigilante member and the sum of N37,857.00 were recovered from him.
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