Shafiu Usman arrest follows DSS operation targeting alleged mastermind of Kogi church attack and kidnappings across four states

Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested Shafiu Usman, an alleged mastermind of multiple kidnapping operations across Kogi, Niger, Kwara and Zamfara states, in a major security breakthrough targeting organised criminal networks.

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Security sources confirmed that the Shafiu Usman arrest followed an intelligence-led operation carried out in Gombe State, where the suspect had reportedly gone into hiding after coordinating violent attacks in parts of North Central Nigeria.

According to officials familiar with the operation, Usman is accused of masterminding the December 14, 2025 assault on the Evangelical Church Winning All Church in Ayetoro, located in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

During the attack, armed men riding motorcycles invaded Ayetoro-Kiri community, abducting at least 30 residents, including children and elderly worshippers, from churches and private homes in what authorities described as a coordinated and brazen operation.

A senior DSS officer, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to brief the media, said the suspect confessed during interrogation to organising the church attack as well as several kidnapping missions across Niger, Kwara and Kogi states.

Investigators also alleged that Usman worked closely with Ibrahim Battijo, identified as a notorious bandit operating across Niger, Kwara, Kogi and Zamfara states.

The officer disclosed that Usman fled to Gombe shortly after the Kogi incident but was tracked and apprehended following sustained surveillance by DSS operatives.

Security authorities said the arrest represents a significant step in ongoing efforts to dismantle cross-state kidnapping syndicates and disrupt arms trafficking networks linked to banditry and terrorism.

Officials added that recent DSS operations in Gombe State have also led to the rescue of kidnapped victims and the neutralisation of criminal supply chains supporting armed groups.

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The suspect remains in DSS custody and is expected to be arraigned upon completion of investigations.