Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested a suspected mastermind of the December 14, 2025 attack on a church in Kogi State, in what security sources describe as a major breakthrough in efforts to curb cross-border banditry in the North-Central region.
The suspect, identified as Shafiu Usman, was apprehended at a hideout in Gombe State after months of surveillance and intelligence tracking.
Usman is believed to have orchestrated the attack on the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Ayetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, during which more than 20 worshippers were abducted in the middle of a Sunday service.
The church attack had triggered outrage and condemnation across Kogi and beyond, with religious leaders and community groups calling for urgent action to halt rising attacks on soft targets, particularly in rural communities.
Security sources said Usman had been on the run since the incident, moving between states to evade arrest before eventually settling in Gombe. Acting on credible intelligence, DSS operatives reportedly tracked and arrested him without incident.
During interrogation, Usman allegedly confessed to planning the Ayetoro Kiri abduction and admitted involvement in multiple kidnappings and violent crimes across Niger State, Kwara State and Kogi.
Rhe suspect was said to have also revealed operational ties to Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a suspected bandit leader allegedly linked to criminal networks spanning Niger, Kwara, Kogi and Zamfara State.
Usman reportedly admitted participating in banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling operations, and identified Battijo as a key supplier of arms and ammunition used in the attacks.
Security officials described the arrest as a significant step in dismantling cross-state criminal syndicates that exploit porous inter-state borders and forest corridors to carry out operations before retreating to safe havens.
The December 2025 Ayetoro Kiri church abduction was one of several high-profile attacks that heightened fears in parts of Kogi West and adjoining states. Communities in Kabba/Bunu and neighbouring local government areas have repeatedly complained of kidnappings along highways and raids on remote settlements.
The incident underscored growing concerns about the spillover of banditry from North-West states into parts of the North-Central zone, with armed groups increasingly operating across multiple states.
Security sources said recent DSS operations have disrupted arms trafficking routes, facilitated the rescue of kidnapped victims and led to the dismantling of criminal cells in Gombe and surrounding states.
