Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have arrested two suspected kidnap kingpins during an operation at Hajj camps in Abuja and Sokoto, as they prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage.
The suspects, Yahaya Yakubu and Sani Aliyu Galadi, had been on the DSS watch-list; however, screening at various Hajj camps provided operatives the opportunity to apprehend them.
Yakubu, who resides in Paikon-Kore village in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was arrested at the Abuja Hajj camp. Galadi, a native of Zamfara State, was picked up nearly 750 kilometres away at the Sokoto Hajj camp.
Galadi, also known as “Mai Boxer”, is believed to be responsible for several attacks by armed bandits across the Sokoto–Zamfara axis. Yakubu is suspected of masterminding a series of kidnappings in and around the FCT.
“Yakubu presented his passport along with other Muslim travelers from Abuja who were preparing to embark on this year’s Hajj, when DSS operatives apprehended him and whisked him away”.
An official of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, who requested anonymity, also confirmed the arrest.