The Department of State Services (DSS) said it had arrested 18 suspected members of notorious kidnap gangs operating across the country.
The suspects include: Haliru Hassan, Usman Abdulkadir, Yusuf Saidu, Abubakar Shuiabu, Abubakar Suleiman, Uzairu Bawa and Sani Abubakar.
A statement issued by an operative of the service, Mr Tony Opuiyo, said that the suspects were arrested on July 3, at the Kakuri industrial area of Kaduna State.
Opuiyo said that the suspects had been terrorising motorists and commuters within the Rijana and Katari axis of the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
He said that the service had also arrested two notorious kidnap suspects, Rabiu Sani alias Dogo, and Abubakar Sani.
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He said that the suspects were arrested on July 4, along the Zaria-Funtua road in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The operative said that Sani was a notorious kidnapper and gun-runner who had been supplying arms and ammunition to criminal elements in Kaduna, Kano, Taraba and Plateau states.
He said that items recovered from them include: a blue Volkswagen Vento car with Reg. No. MGU 106 EA, one pistol, four AK-47 magazines and five FN rifle.
Others are : 989 rounds of ammunition, one round of 9mm ammunition, one beretta magazine, and N457, 140.
Similarly, Opuiyo said the service had arrested two high profile kidnappers on July 5 July, at Ikara Junction, Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State.
He said that they were members of a kidnap gang which had been operating at the Falgore forest in Kano State.
He said that 26 live cartridges and a bullet proof vest were found in their possession during their arrest.
The operative said that the service had also arrested five kidnap suspects responsible for kidnapping in the FCT and two others in Kogi.
On terrorism, Opuiyo said that the service had arrested a high profile Boko Haram cell leader alongside six of his accomplices in Sakwai, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The suspects are: Usman Musa, Isa Halidu, Ibrahim Dauda, Bature Mohammed, Buhari Dauda, Inusa Usman and Adamu Ibrahim.
He said that the suspects were arrested on July 1, after a tactical operation was conducted against fleeing Boko Haram fighters.
Opuiyo said that items recovered from them include:< Light arms, ammunition and radical literature.
He said that the service also arrested some suspected terrorists in Kano and Taraba who fled from the Sambisa forest.
Opuiyo said that the service had arrested three suspects in connection with the boundary dispute in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River and Okuiboku in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
He said that the arrest was made in liaison with the Nigerian Army on Aug. 10, after a raid of the militants’ enclave along Ikonoto Road, Ikonoto clan in Odukpani.
He said that during the raid, one of the suspects was shot dead and two escaped with gunshot injuries.
Opuiyo said that one dane gun and an American pump action gun were recovered from the hideout.
“The Service wishes to acknowledge the efforts of the general public in providing critical and actionable intelligence, which have continued to enhance its operations.
“It is hoped that this spirit of cooperation and support will further be sustained toward maintenance of prevailing peace, law and order in the Country,” he said.
