Troops of the Nigerian Army, working in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected kidnapper while attempting to collect a ₦200,000 ransom from a woman in Nasarawa State.
The suspect, identified as Mukaila Iliyasu, was apprehended at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area during a joint security operation involving troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, and DSS personnel.
According to a statement by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, the arrest followed intelligence reports that the suspect had allegedly threatened to abduct the woman unless she paid ₦200,000.
The DSS reportedly alerted the military to the threat on October 29, prompting a coordinated operation to track down the suspect and prevent the planned abduction.
In a move to facilitate the arrest, a soldier reportedly went undercover and posed as the person assigned to deliver the ransom.
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The suspect was subsequently arrested while collecting the money, with security operatives recovering the ₦200,000 allegedly demanded from the intended victim.
Following his arrest, Iliyasu was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, commended the troops and DSS operatives for their professionalism, courage and effective collaboration.
He urged security agencies to sustain intelligence sharing and inter-agency cooperation to combat kidnapping and other criminal activities, while protecting lives and maintaining peace across the region.
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