Alhaji Bichi, DG, DSS
Operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), Ondo State Office, have arrested a six-man syndicate, including a nursing mother, who specialises in kidnapping toddlers in the state.
The state Director of DSS, Mr. Jonathan Kure, while parading the suspects at the headquarters yesterday, in Akure, said the syndicate had been terrorising the state by kidnapping toddlers between the ages of two and four.
He noted that the nursing mother was a member of the kidnap syndicate, who helped to keep their weapons, being a wife to one of the arrested kidnappers.
He said: “They have tormented so many families, especially within Akure, following the directive of President Buhari and support of our DG, we were able to launch a crackdown.
“What you can see there are young men, what is even more touching is that one of their members is a nursing mother and wife of one of the kidnappers, she also plays a dual role of being the armoury of the group.”
The director said that he could confirm from an intelligence report that they were the only syndicate that specialise in kidnapping toddlers, pledging not to rest on his oars.
According to him, further investigation would continue and they would soon be charged to court. He said the operation was carried out in synergy with men of the Nigerian Army and appreciated the collaboration amongst the security agencies in Ondo State.
Some of the items paraded along with the suspects included: laptops, cash, locally-made guns and cash, while the sixth suspect was admitted in an undisclosed hospital due to gunshot.
Kure attributed the arrest to directives from President Muhammadu Buhari to the Director-General of DSS as well as support from the Ondo State Government.
Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was at the DSS Office, assured indigenes and residents of adequate security of life and property.
He urged landlords to always do proper profiling of tenants, saying, “security is everybody’s business, if you notice any one that is living above his means, let security check the person out.”