Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have announced the arrest of Shafiu Usman, the alleged mastermind behind the violent attack on the ECWA Church in Ayetoro, Kogi State, which occurred in late 2025.
According to security sources, Usman was apprehended at a hideout in Gombe State, where he had been attempting to evade law enforcement.
The attack, which took place on December 14, 2025, resulted in the kidnapping of over 20 worshippers. During interrogation, Usman reportedly confessed to orchestrating the incident. Furthermore, he admitted involvement in a string of kidnappings, banditry, and cattle rustling across Niger, Kwara, and Kogi States.
Authorities revealed that Usman collaborated closely with Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a notorious bandit leader known to operate across several Northern states, including Zamfara. Usman confessed that Battijo supplied the arms and ammunition used in the Kogi church attack.
Following the operation, Usman fled to Gombe State but was trailed and captured by DSS operatives.
This arrest is being highlighted as a significant victory in the DSS’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and banditry. Recent operations in Gombe have successfully dismantled cross-state syndicates, neutralised arms trafficking networks, and rescued victims.
Usman is currently in DSS custody awaiting formal arraignment. #securitynewsalert.com
