From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja

THE Department of State Secu­rity (DSS), Kogi State Command, yesterday nabbed a kidnap and robbery gang which specialised in inter-state criminal activities.

Parading the suspects, the state director of the agency, Mr Joseph Ekpo, said the gang usually wore full military uniform during op­erations.

He said his men on a tip off swooped on the gang members who had just operated in Malum­fashi, Plateau State and were on their way to the state for another operation. He said his men ar­rested them along Kotonkarfi end of the Abuja- Lokoja high­way.

According to him, four mem­bers of the gang were arrested by his men while two others who had earlier stopped at Gwagwala­da to pick some items for their operation were later arrested.

The DSS boss said the gang confessed to have operated six times between Ramadan period and the time they were arrested. He explained that the gang oper­ated twice in Malumfasi – Zaria road, Kaduna- Jaji road, and two other places in Niger and Plateau States before coming to the state.

He said the gang members  have a link with somebody in Obajana who was giving them the geography of the state and the manner they could operate. He noted that the person has also been arrested.

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The DSS boss who explained that 10 kidnap gangs have been smashed by his men within the last few weeks, said those arrested have been investigated and are being prosecuted.

He said the location of the state which is a link to more than nine states of the federation attracted kidnappers to it, believing they could easily escape after operation. He said the agency are under 24-hour surveillance and will crack down on any suspect anywhere and anytime of the day.

Okpo said intelligence revealed that most of the kidnap suspects came to operate from outside the state.

According to him, the suspects are Tukur Shuaibu, Haruna Saliu, Kabiru Shuaibu and Abdulmumini Adamu. Weapons, including guns and 14 hand­sets, a golf car, among others were re­covered from them.

He said the suspects would be pros­ecuted as soon as investigation is com­pleted.

Speaking with news men, the gang leader, Adam, who spoke through an interpreter said they are all Hausa-Fulani from the North and confessed to have operated in major cities across the North.