A suspected kidnapper has been arrested in Nasarawa State. Mukaila Iliyasu was apprehended while attempting to collect ransom from a female resident. The arrest occurred at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area. It followed a joint operation by troops of Sector 2, Operation Whirl Stroke, and DSS personnel.
Kidnapping for ransom has spread across Nasarawa. The state sits between the Federal Capital Territory and the north-central banditry belt. In 2023, gunmen abducted travellers along the Keffi-Akwanga road. In 2024, similar attacks hit Karu and Nasarawa Eggon. Security agencies have responded with intelligence-led operations. The use of undercover soldiers posing as couriers is a newer tactic. It targets the collection point, not the camp.
The Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, issued a statement. DSS operatives alerted the military on 29 October. Iliyasu had allegedly threatened to abduct a woman unless she paid ₦200,000. A coordinated operation was launched to track him and prevent the abduction.
A soldier went undercover. He posed as the person assigned to deliver the ransom. The suspect arrived to collect the money. He was arrested. Security operatives recovered the ₦200,000. Iliyasu was handed over to the DSS for investigation and possible prosecution.
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, praised the troops and DSS operatives. He urged them to sustain collaboration and intelligence sharing.
Winners: The military and DSS, which demonstrated coordination. The intended victim, who was protected. The community, which gained safety. The undercover soldier, who executed the plan. Losers: The suspect, who faces prosecution. His network, which lost an operative. Other kidnappers, who face a new tactic. The intended victim, who faced threats.
Bottom Line: A soldier posed as a courier. A kidnapper was caught. The ransom was recovered. The operation worked. Intelligence and deception beat force. The next kidnapper may check the courier more carefully.