A major breakthrough was recorded on Monday as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested a suspected kidnap kingpin, Sani Galadi, at the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto.
Galadi, who was on his way to Saudi Arabia for Hajj, was picked up around 11:15am during the final screening exercise at the Hajj terminal. Intelligence officers had reportedly been tracking him before making the arrest.
The development comes less than 24 hours after a similar arrest at the Hajj camp in Abuja, where another wanted kidnap suspect, linked to high-profile abductions in Kogi and Abuja, was also apprehended while preparing to travel for pilgrimage.
A security source confirmed Galadi’s arrest, noting that he was taken into custody and is already assisting with investigations. The source added that the suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.
Asked how the suspect was able to obtain travel documents such as an international passport, the official said that question should be directed to the relevant issuing agencies.
“This is part of our covert operations to clean up the country and crack down on those behind heinous crimes,” the source said.
The arrest has raised fresh concerns about the loopholes in Nigeria’s documentation and screening processes, especially in the context of international travel.
