A civil society group, Civil-Military Cooperation, has praised the Department of State Services (DSS) for its recent operations that led to the arrest of suspected arms dealers and kidnappers, as well as the recovery of a significant cache of weapons.
In a statement released on Thursday, the group’s coordinator, Adams Otakwu, noted that the DSS had, through intelligence-driven operations across various states, helped prevent potential threats to public safety.
“This week alone, DSS operatives in Gwagwalada, Abuja, arrested a suspect in possession of 60 rounds of 6.72mm live ammunition.
The individual, who claimed to be a paramilitary officer, was instrumental in the arrest of another suspected arms dealer,” the statement read.
Otakwu also highlighted a separate operation last Friday along the Lafia-Doma Road in Nasarawa State, where DSS officers intercepted a suspected arms courier with 1,009 rounds of ammunition concealed in two bags of maize.
Further afield, in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, on June 5, four suspected members of a kidnapping gang identified as “Timico” were apprehended.
DSS personnel recovered two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, 152 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and a gold Toyota Camry from the suspects.
According to the group, similar successful operations had taken place in Gusau (Zamfara), Kaduna, Zuba (Niger State), and Eket (Akwa Ibom), leading to the arrest of more suspected criminals.
“We can only imagine the devastating consequences if the thousands of rounds of ammunition seized had reached their intended destinations,” the statement said.
Earlier this month, the DSS also arrested a suspected kidnapping kingpin at Sultan Abubakar International Airport in Sokoto.
The suspect was reportedly en route to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
The arrest was confirmed by a top official of the Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Faruk Umar.