Umar Abubakar aka Yellow, a kidnapper and associate of notorious kidnapper and cattle rustler, known as General in Zamfara state is one of the deadly criminals recently apprehended by the Department of State Services.
File photo
According to a statement made available to Vanguard by Tony Opuiyo on behalf of the DSS, said the Department of State Services (DSS), have released names of notorious and wanted criminals caught in various parts of the country in joint operations with sister security agencies in a bid to rid the country of malevolent elements.
Top on the list of those taken in by the DSS are: Barnabas Torva Amadi also known as Ataminin, who, according to the security agency, actively participated in the kidnap and murder of Hosea Ibi, a member of the Taraba State House of Assembly.
Other suspects arrested were: Aondi Tersoo, Nengenen Mbaawuaga Damian, Aondoase Kayitor, and Ternenge Tersoo.
The joint operation also led to the arrest of 23-year-old Isaiah Suwe, an ally of wanted kidnapper, Terwase Awkaza aka Gana, who is on the run.
The DSS said it was in its bid to rid the area of kidnappers, armed robbers and cattle rustlers that they arrested Suwe in Takum community in Taraba State, who led them to Gbise Village, Katsina Ala in Benue State on February 25, 2018, where they arrested the suspects.
The security agency said it also recovered nine SIM cards, different telephone brands and accessories as well as a First Bank ATM Card, a flash drive, one Voter card and one ID card belonging to Moses S. Yaro, a member of Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Taraba State.
Also arrested by the DSS, according to the state were members of the notorious Gemere kidnap gang, which operates along the Lokoja-Okene Highway, whose names were given as: Usman Umaru aka Dan Gurgu; Abubakar Umaru, Garba Umar aka Smally, Abubakar Garba; and Umar Bello.
The gang, it was learnt, was responsible for the kidnap of some Canadians and Americans along the Abuja – Kaduna road.
The service had on 20th January, 2018, intercepted the leader of the gang, Abubakar Muhammed (aka Gemere) along the Lokoja – Okene highway where he was killed in a gun battle with operatives.
Moving down South, the DSS said it arrested another notorious kidnapper, Anthony Kio Eelegwe, a 37-year old engineer who hails from Oyigba Community, Ahoada-West LGA of Rivers State at Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on February 22, 2018.
It said that early checks on the suspects confirmed that he has been involved in several kidnap activities particularly those of Grace OMIETIMI, mother of James Omieitimi, Head of Clinical Services, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa and Marie Ebikake, former Commissioner for Transport in the Governor Seriake Dickson administration.
Also arrested on 17th February, 2018, at Irrua, Edo State, by the operatives were members of a deadly gang which dominated the Kogi-Edo corridors, which recently abducted Senator Sylvester Ayodele Arise along the Ibillo-Magongo Highway and Kelechi Odo and Azuibuike Odo along the Okene-Lokoja highway.
Those arrested are Umar Abubakar (aka Small), Abubakar Ahmadu (aka Sarkin Yaki), Aliyu Abubakar (aka Koroko), Aliyu Mohammed (aka Chogo) and Abubakar Umaru (aka Bokolori).
The DSS revealed that it had also shot and killed some fleeing criminals during a gun duel around Rugan Fulani, Gidan Gwari, outskirts of Ajaokuta LGA and Ganaja Junction, Lokoja, Kogi State respectively.
The agency said the dead elements were responsible for the kidnap of a Canadian national – Benjamin Wheller on 20th September, 2017 as well as the Kidnap/killing of a Chinese Expatriate – Liaolun Song and his police orderly, Mathew Yahaya along Ajaokuta Road on 14th September, 2017.
It boasted that is also shot and killed Umar Abubakar aka Yellow, a kidnapper and associate of notorious kidnapper/cattle rustler, Buhari General, in Adavi LGA, Kogi State.
“The duo of Abubakar and Buhari are responsible for many killings and rustling of cattle in the Zamfara axis. They had planned several kidnap attacks in Edo State during the 2017 end of year celebrations, but the vigilance and persistence of security operatives deterred the execution of the planned actions” the agency said.