DSS Nabs Mastermind of Deadly 2025 Kogi ECWA Church Attack in Gombe Hideout
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have achieved a major breakthrough in the fight against regional terrorism with the arrest of Shafiu Usman, the alleged mastermind behind the brutal assault on the ECWA Church in Ayetoro, Kogi State.
The suspect was apprehended during a high-stakes tactical operation at a hideout in Gombe State, where he had been in hiding since the December 14, 2025, attack that resulted in the abduction of over 20 worshippers.
A Confession of Cross-Border Terror
Upon his arrest, Usman reportedly provided a detailed confession, admitting to orchestrating the Ayetoro church raid. However, his involvement extends far beyond Kogi State. During interrogation, he revealed his role in a string of high-profile kidnappings and banditry operations across Niger, Kwara, and Kogi States.
Security sources disclosed that Usman operated in close collaboration with Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a notorious bandit kingpin whose criminal footprint spans the North-West and North-Central regions, including Zamfara State.
“Shafiu admitted to deep involvement in kidnapping, banditry, and cattle rustling. He confessed that Ibrahim Battijo was his primary supplier of arms and ammunition,” a DSS source confirmed.
Read Also:
The Trail to Gombe
Following the Kogi church attack, which drew national condemnation, Usman fled the state to evade the intensifying security heat. However, using advanced signal intelligence and ground tracking, DSS operatives trailed him to Gombe State, where he was finally neutralized and taken into custody.
This arrest is the latest in a series of successful DSS interventions in Gombe and surrounding states. Recent operations by the Service have:
* Dismantled arms trafficking networks used to ferry weapons from the borders to the interior.
* Rescued multiple kidnap victims from forest hideouts.
* Neutralized cross-state syndicates that utilize Gombe as a transit hub for illicit activities.
A Blow to the Insurgent Infrastructure
The arrest of Usman is seen as a strategic victory, as it provides law enforcement with critical intelligence on the logistics and supply chains used by the Battijo-led bandit groups. By cutting off a key mastermind, the DSS has significantly disrupted the operational tempo of these syndicates in the North-Central axis.
The suspect remains in DSS custody, where he is assisting with ongoing investigations into the whereabouts of other cell members. He is expected to be arraigned in court as soon as preliminary investigations are concluded.
By PRNigeria
