A man identified as Yahaya Zango, who had been declared wanted for alleged involvement in several kidnapping cases, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Sunday at the Hajj camp near Abuja airport.
Zango, a resident of Paikon-Kore in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was reportedly preparing to depart for Saudi Arabia as part of the Muslim pilgrimage when he was apprehended during routine screening.
A security source confirmed that Zango was taken into custody after presenting his passport alongside other intending pilgrims. “He was arrested this afternoon during the screening process at the Hajj camp by DSS operatives,” the source said.
An official from the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, speaking anonymously, also confirmed the arrest. It was revealed that Zango had been evading authorities following a manhunt by security agencies.
As of now, the DSS has not released an official statement regarding the arrest.
Kidnapping has grown into a nationwide crisis, affecting communities across the country, from the North to the South targeting everyone from schoolchildren and public officials to businesspeople and ordinary citizens.