In what appeared a well coordinated covert operation, the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Sunday, May 18, 2025, successfully arrested two notorious suspected kidnap kingpins as they attempt to depart Nigeria for Saudi Arabia to observe the Muslim pilgrimage.

This was as it was gathered from security sources that the two suspected kidnappers had been under the radar of the DSS for over a year.

It was also gathered that the screening at the various Hajj camps in different parts of the country, offered the operatives the opportunity to widen their magnet which led to the arrest the suspected kidnap kingpins.

A security source confided in Forefront News that operatives of the DSS arrested the two kidnap kingpins at the Abuja and Sokoto Hajj camps.

While suspected kingpin Zango Abdullahi is based in Paikon–Kore village situated in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was arrested at the Abuja Hajj camp, the Zamfara-born Sani Aliyu Galadi was arrestet at the Sokoto Hajj camp about 750 kilometres away from the nation’s capital.

Vigilant operatives of the DSS stationed at the point of screening of both camps were able to promptly recognize and arrest Zango and Galadi.

A reliable source within the security circle said that it was obvious that the duo of Zango and Galadi alias Mai Boxer, were oblivious of the fact that DSS officers were still on their trail.

The source also said that Galadi, who is suspected to be responsible for the attacks by bandits in the Sokoto-Zamfara axis, had been flown from Sokoto to the DSS headquarters in Abuja where he assisting with further investigation.