DSS Arrests Alleged Mastermind Of ECWA Church Attack
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Shafiu Usman, the alleged mastermind behind the deadly December 14, 2025 attack on ECWA Church in Ayetoro, Kogi State, which saw more than 20 worshippers kidnapped.
A security source revealed that Usman was apprehended at a hideout in Gombe State, where he had been evading authorities. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to planning the Ayetoro church attack and other kidnappings across Niger, Kwara, and Kogi States.
Usman also admitted collaborating with Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a notorious bandit operating in Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Zamfara States.
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“Shafiu admitted to involvement in kidnapping, banditry, and cattle rustling. He said Ibrahim Battijo supplied him with arms and ammunition. After the Kogi attack, he fled to Gombe, but DSS operatives trailed and arrested him,” the source said.
The DSS source added that the arrest highlights the agency’s ongoing efforts to combat banditry and terrorism, including recent operations in Gombe State that dismantled arms trafficking networks, rescued kidnap victims, and disrupted cross-state criminal syndicates.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
