Soldier poses as ransom courier, catches suspected kidnapper in Nasarawa

Troops of the Nigerian Army, working with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have foiled a suspected kidnapping plot in Nasarawa State following an undercover operation that led to the arrest of a man allegedly demanding ₦200,000 from a female resident.

The operation, which took place at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area of the state, resulted in the arrest of the suspect, identified as Mukaila Iliyasu, while attempting to collect the money demanded from his intended victim.

The intervention followed intelligence reports that Iliyasu had allegedly threatened to abduct the woman if she failed to pay the sum of ₦200,000.

The Acting Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement confirming the arrest.

According to the statement, DSS operatives alerted troops of Sector 2, Operation Whirl Stroke, to the alleged kidnapping threat on October 29, prompting a joint operation to track the suspect and prevent the planned abduction.

As part of the operation, a soldier reportedly went undercover and posed as the person assigned to deliver the ransom to the suspect.

The strategy enabled security operatives to apprehend Iliyasu while collecting the ₦200,000, which was subsequently recovered during the operation.

The military described the intervention as an intelligence-driven operation that prevented a possible kidnapping, stressing that timely information sharing and coordinated action among security agencies remained critical to addressing criminal activities.

Following his arrest, the suspect was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Reacting to the development, the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, commended the troops and DSS operatives for their professionalism, courage and effective coordination.

Gara urged security personnel to sustain the collaboration and strengthen intelligence sharing to address kidnapping and other security threats across their respective areas of responsibility.

He also emphasised the importance of inter-agency cooperation in protecting lives, securing communities and maintaining peace across the region.