Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for rescuing a kidnap victim and dismantling a criminal camp on the outskirts of Atabula village in Aloshi District, Obi Local Government Area of the state.
The governor’s commendation followed a recent operation in which DSS operatives rescued Joseph Obagwu, who was abducted after travelling to secure the release of his son, Samuel Olom Obagwu, a student of the Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA).
The DSS also arrested three suspected members of the kidnap syndicate during an operation at Gidigidi Hotel, behind Shinge Market in Lafia LGA.
The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Musa, Titus Baka Fidelis and Sani Adamu. Adamu was reportedly found to have received N200,000 from the victim’s family as part of the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
Sule described the operation as evidence of the commitment and effectiveness of security agencies in combating criminal activities in the state.
He urged security personnel to sustain the momentum and remain determined in their efforts to dismantle criminal networks.
The governor also called on residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with timely and credible information, stressing that cooperation between citizens and security personnel was essential to maintaining peace in the state.
Traditional ruler commends DSS
The traditional ruler of Duduguru community in the Jenkwe Development Area of Obi LGA, Chief Pius Ogu, also praised the DSS for the operation, saying it had brought significant relief to the community.
Ogu disclosed that Joseph Obagwu was abducted after paying N2 million for the release of his son, who had been kidnapped on 11 August 2026.
“The kidnappers released the son and took in the father as replacement,” the traditional ruler said.
According to Ogu, DSS operatives, acting on intelligence, raided the kidnappers’ camp in the early hours of Tuesday, forcing the suspects to flee into surrounding bushes.
The operation led to the rescue of Obagwu, who had reportedly been held captive since 15 August, while the camp was subsequently destroyed.
The three suspects arrested during the operation remain in custody for interrogation, Ogu said.
He described the rescue and arrests as a major relief for residents, adding that the community had witnessed first-hand the DSS’s efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“As the agency continues to deploy a combination of intelligence-driven operations, sustained surveillance, and strategic collaboration with sister security agencies to track down perpetrators and dismantle their hideouts, we, the citizens pledge our support to help them continue on this great path,” he said.
