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DSS Arrests Notorious Kidnapping Kingpin Sani Galadi at the Hajj terminal while undergoing a final screening before their departure for the holy land
The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly apprehended a notorious kidnapping kingpin identified as Sani Galadi at the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto.
The arrest occurred as the suspect was preparing to board a flight bound for Saudi Arabia to participate in the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
According to a credible source who spoke to journalists under the condition of anonymity, the suspect had already gone through a substantial portion of the travel process and was in the final stages of screening when DSS operatives swooped in. “He was arrested at the Hajj terminal while undergoing a final screening before their departure for the holy land today,” the source disclosed.
It was gathered that Sani Galadi had attempted to evade law enforcement under the guise of being a pilgrim. However, intelligence gathered by the DSS led to his identification and subsequent arrest.
Galadi is believed to be connected to multiple high-profile kidnapping operations across the North-Western region of Nigeria, with particular links to banditry and abductions in Zamfara and surrounding states.
The suspect is currently in DSS custody where he is undergoing interrogation. The source further indicated that he will face charges in court once investigations are concluded. “He is currently under investigation and will be charged to court upon the completion of interrogation,” the source added.
Confirming the development, a senior official of the Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Faruk Umar, clarified the identity and origin of the suspect.
He emphasized that the individual was not part of the Sokoto State delegation of pilgrims but belonged to the Zamfara State contingent.
“I also heard about the arrest, but I can comfortably tell you that the suspect is not a pilgrim from Sokoto but from Zamfara State,” Umar explained.
He added that based on the flight arrangements and travel schedules, only Zamfara State pilgrims were scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia that day. “Sokoto pilgrims are not travelling today; it’s only those from Zamfara that will move today. The next flight for Sokoto pilgrims is scheduled for tomorrow. So definitely, the arrested suspect is from Zamfara and not Sokoto,” he affirmed.
Umar also noted that the screening operation carried out by the DSS at the Hajj terminal was part of a collaborative effort between state pilgrims welfare agencies and the nation’s security agencies.
These routine checks are designed to ensure the safety and integrity of the Hajj process by preventing criminal elements from exploiting the pilgrimage for illegal escape or other ulterior motives.
The arrest of Sani Galadi highlights the ongoing efforts by security agencies to clamp down on banditry and kidnapping networks, many of which have caused immense insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
The attempt by a high-profile suspect to flee under the cover of religious pilgrimage underscores the lengths to which criminals will go to evade justice—and the necessity of diligent intelligence and cooperation among agencies to curb such threats.