Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have apprehended Shafiu Usman, the alleged ringleader behind the December 14, 2025 attack on the ECWA Church in Ayetoro, Kogi State, during which more than 20 worshippers were abducted.

Security sources revealed that Usman was arrested at a hideout in Gombe State after reportedly going into hiding following the incident. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to coordinating the Ayetoro church abduction and participating in other kidnapping operations across Niger, Kwara, and Kogi States.

According to the sources, Usman disclosed that he worked closely with Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a suspected bandit known to operate in Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Zamfara States. He reportedly admitted involvement in kidnapping, banditry, and cattle rustling activities, claiming that Battijo provided him with weapons and ammunition used in their operations.

Following the church attack in Kogi, Usman allegedly fled to Gombe State, where DSS operatives tracked him down and effected his arrest.

Security officials described the arrest as part of the DSS’s sustained crackdown on banditry and terrorism. They noted that recent operations in Gombe State have also disrupted arms trafficking networks, freed kidnapped victims, and dismantled criminal syndicates operating across state lines.

The suspect is currently in DSS custody and is expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.