DSS arrest mastermind of the kidnap of three Australians in Cross River
The mastermind of the
kidnap of three Australians working for Lafarge Cememnt Company in Cross Rivers
state, Samuel Asuquo, has been arrested by Department of State Service
operatives. This was contained in a press statement released by the
spokesperson of the DSS, Tony Opuiyo.
The statement adds that a gang of kidnappers that had earlier kidnapped five Igbo women and collected the sum of Thirteen Million Naira (N13m) as ransom have also been arrested. Also arrested is a Boko Haram IED specialist in Kano state. Read the statement after the cut....
The statement adds that a gang of kidnappers that had earlier kidnapped five Igbo women and collected the sum of Thirteen Million Naira (N13m) as ransom have also been arrested. Also arrested is a Boko Haram IED specialist in Kano state. Read the statement after the cut....
As part of its commitment towards improving security across the country, the Department of State Services (DSS), has sustained tactical and counter-terrorism operations which have yielded major successes with the arrest of terrorists and other criminals across the country.
2. On 22nd August, 2016, one Samuel ASUQUO, a kidnap kingpin was arrested by the Service at Nasarawa Bakoko village in Cross River State. ASUQUO was the mastermind of the kidnap of three (3) Australian staff of Lafarge Cement Company, for which his gang received ransom of one hundred and fifty million Naira (N150m)
3. Similarly, on 30th August, 2016, the trio of
Bamaiyi MUSTAPHA (aka Dan Borno), Aminu ISA and Hassan SHEHU, members of a
notorious kidnap gang operating around the Abuja-Kaduna axis, were arrested at
Lafia, Nasarawa State. The gang had earlier kidnapped five (5) Igbo women and
collected the sum of Thirteen Million Naira (N13m) as ransom. They were subsequently
arrested by the Service while planning a high profile kidnap in Abuja.
4. In another operation carried out same day at
Tamburawa village along Kano-Zaria Expressway, Kano State, Alhassan MUSA and
Ado Yusuf, members of a notorious kidnap/armed robbery syndicate operating from
Falgore forest in Doguwa LGA, Kano State, were also apprehended.
5. On 19th August, 2016, two (2) kidnappers
operating in Zamfara and its environs were arrested. They are Abdulrasheed
IBRAHIM and Aliyu UMAR. The duo had been terrorizing residents of the area
along with a kidnap group headed by Buhari General who is still at large.
6. Also, on 26th August, 2016, two (2) notorious
kidnappers, armed robbers and assassins; Moses ACHIA and Fanen IGBETAR, were
arrested at Kperlegba Village, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue
State. One (1) AK-47 rifle, five (5) fully loaded AK-47 magazines, one hundred
and fifty rounds of live ammunition and one pistol loaded with fifteen rounds
of live ammunition were recovered from them. The syndicate had planned to
kidnap a female business tycoon in Makurdi, Benue State.
7. On 3rd Sept, 2016, a kidnapping gang under
the coordination of one Sunny ISAAC/late, which has been terrorizing residents
in States of the South-East zone, was busted by the Service at Aba in Abia
State. Prior to their arrest, the gang had masterminded series of kidnapping
incidents in the State, including the abduction of one Uche IKONNE/f, an
American citizen in the State. Other members of the gang arrested by the
Service include Nnaoma AMAK, Chiedozie EBERE, Bartholomew MICHEAL, Chinweotito
INNOCENT and Celestine IKARANGWAN, while the following items were recovered on
them during the time of arrest; the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira only
(N400,000.00), a Double-Barrel gun with two (2) live ammunition, a
Toyota-Corolla car, a Volkswagen Golf car, and the mobile cellphone of the
IKONNE/f.
8. In another development, this Service has
arrested one Abbas MOHAMMED at Asokoro, Abuja. Subject was sending several
threat messages to the Ukranian Ambassador to Nigeria. Preliminary
investigation revealed that MOHAMMED was formerly employed by the embassy as a
driver but he began threatening his former employer after losing his job
arising from observed gross acts of insubordination from him to his employers.
9. On the economic front, this Service is
currently intensifying action against high level fraudsters whose unwholesome
activities is negatively affecting investors confidence with multiplier risk to
genuine businesses nationwide. Accordingly, one Izuagie MOHAMMED was arrested
in Benin City, Edo State on 24th August, 2016, for impersonating the Accountant
General of the Federation. MOHAMMED had already defrauded unsuspecting members
of the public posing as the Nigerian AGF on Facebook and promising them facilitation
of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) empowerment loan, before he was apprehended by
the Service.
10. In a further action, on 28th August, 2016,
Taiye ALADE and Ajoke KOLAWOLE were also arrested by the Service at Fabian
Hotel, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The duo had cloned the GSM number of the Group
Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (GMD NNPC),
and were using it to defraud his close associates.
11. Also, one Mike EWUGBARA a known child
trafficker was arrested at Okigwe, Imo State on 26th August, 2016. Three (3)
kidnapped children were rescued from his hideout including one Miracle who was
abducted in Benue State.
12. In response to the regrouping of Boko Haram
elements in Kano State, the Service in concert with the military, carried out
coordinated operations in the State which led to the apprehension of two (2)
high profile members of the sect, namely; Ibrahim Ustaz ABUBAKAR and Idris AUDU
(aka AYA). AUDU is an IED specialist who was being groomed to penetrate
security agencies in the country. AUDU had already perfected plans to seek for
recruitment into the next recruitment scheme of the Nigeria Army, before his
arrest.
13. The Service wishes to assure all law abiding
citizens and residents that it will not rest on its oars in its determination
to ensure a safe environment for all to carry out their legitimate business. We
call on members of the public to support this effort by providing useful
information to security agencies.
Tony OPUIYO
Department of State Services
Abuja.
Department of State Services
Abuja.
4th September, 2016.
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