Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi A. Sule commended the Department of State Services and other security agencies after a kidnap victim was rescued and three suspected kidnappers were arrested in separate operations around Lafia and Atabula.
The operation, according to a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, resulted in the arrest of one suspect at a criminal hideout in Atabula, Duduguru, in the Jenkwe Development Area, while two other suspects were apprehended in Lafia.
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Security operatives also dismantled the makeshift camp allegedly used by the criminals and recovered cash, five mobile phones and other items believed to be connected to the operation.
Sule described the development as a significant security breakthrough, saying the arrests demonstrated the effectiveness and commitment of security agencies in confronting criminal networks in the state.
“The arrests demonstrate the effectiveness and dedication of our security agencies in the fight against criminal elements,” Sule said.
The governor urged the DSS and other security formations to sustain the momentum and intensify efforts to identify and dismantle kidnapping networks operating across Nasarawa.
Sule also assured security agencies of the continued support of his administration, while appealing to residents to remain vigilant and provide timely, credible information that could help prevent further attacks.
The latest operation comes against a backdrop of renewed kidnapping concerns in Nasarawa, particularly around communities and institutions in and around Lafia.
In July, three students of the Federal University of Lafia were abducted from their accommodation.
Police later rescued one of the students and launched a wider operation to locate the remaining victims and apprehend those responsible.
The state has also witnessed a separate DSS operation involving the abduction of Professor Samuel Avengbe Okunsebor, Dean of Agriculture at Nasarawa State University.
Okunsebor was abducted in the early hours of July 15, 2026, at Mile Uku, a border community between Lafia and Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Areas. DSS operatives rescued him two days later, while two suspects were arrested during the operation.
Three additional suspects linked to that incident were arrested in August, bringing the number of arrests connected with the professor’s abduction to five.
The three later suspects were identified as 25-year-old Yakubu Abubakar, also known as Black or Starboy, 37-year-old Usman Abubakar Mairiga and 27-year-old Sale Babauro Abubakar.
The latest arrests involving the Atabula hideout are understood to concern a separate kidnapping incident, with reports stating that the identity of the rescued victim had not immediately been disclosed.
For Sule, the immediate priority remains maintaining pressure on criminal groups while strengthening cooperation between government, security agencies and local communities.
“Collective vigilance and cooperation are essential to maintaining peace and security in our state,” the governor said.
The governor’s response places particular emphasis on community intelligence, as security agencies continue efforts to prevent kidnappers from establishing or maintaining hideouts across vulnerable parts of the state.
While the rescue offers a welcome moment of relief for the victim and the wider community, the continued reports of abductions in Nasarawa underline the need for sustained security operations rather than isolated successes.
For residents, the dismantling of the Atabula camp and the arrest of three suspects represent a potentially important step in disrupting criminal activity.
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The effectiveness of the operation will ultimately depend on whether investigations lead to wider arrests and whether security agencies can prevent the re-establishment of similar networks.
Dr. Steven Adesemoye is a Senior Lecturer in Mass Communication at Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and a contributor to Freelanews.com, writing on media, communication, education, and public affairs.
