OPERATIVES of the Department of State Services (DSS) have rescued two pastors and a church member who were abducted by armed bandits in Kaduna State, while also arresting three suspects linked to arms trafficking across several northern states.
The victims—Idi Buhari, Emmanuel Jacob and Suleiman Adamu—were kidnapped on January 9, 2026, in the Gwagwada area of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
They were reportedly travelling through Kugosi en route to Sarkin Pawa in Niger State to officiate a wedding ceremony when they were abducted.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Reverend Joseph Hayab, confirmed that the victims were safely rescued from the bush during ongoing DSS security operations in Niger State.
He lauded the DSS for what he described as a timely and courageous intervention, noting that the rescue brought relief to the affected families and the Christian community.
Hayab said the successful operation had reinforced confidence that sustained and coordinated security efforts could overcome criminal activities, stressing that collaboration among security agencies, religious leaders and local communities remained critical in tackling insecurity.
In a related development, DSS operatives from the Niger and Kaduna State commands, working jointly, arrested three suspects connected to the kidnapping and an arms and ammunition supply network.
The suspects are believed to operate along the Kwara–Niger–Katsina–Kaduna corridor, transporting weapons through motor parks and rural routes to evade security checkpoints.
According to one of the suspects, identified as Kwalo, the ammunition was collected from a courier at Tegina Motor Park in Niger State and passed through a chain of handlers before being delivered to an unidentified recipient in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The suspects allegedly received varying sums for their roles in the operation, with Kwalo claiming he was misled into believing the consignment contained tantalite concealed in sacks of millet.
Reacting to the development, Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), described the rescue and arrests as evidence of the DSS’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
He assured residents that the Kaduna State Government, under Governor Uba Sani, remains focused on maintaining and sustaining peace.
Shuaibu urged members of the public to support security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities, emphasising that collective responsibility and continued cooperation are essential to curbing criminal activities across the state.