DSS Apprehends Suspected Mastermind Of Deadly 2025 Ayetoro ECWA Church Attack
Lokoja, Kogi State | February 27, 2026
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Shafiu Usman, the alleged mastermind behind the deadly December 14, 2025 attack on ECWA Church in Ayetoro, Kogi State, where more than 20 worshippers were kidnapped during a Sunday service.
Security sources confirmed that Usman was apprehended at a hideout in Gombe State after weeks of coordinated intelligence tracking. According to officials, the suspect had fled Kogi shortly after the church attack and had been lying low in Gombe in an attempt to evade arrest.
During interrogation, Usman reportedly confessed to orchestrating the Ayetoro church attack and admitted involvement in several other kidnapping operations across Niger, Kwara, and Kogi States. Investigators say he provided detailed accounts of how the church assault was planned and executed.
Usman also revealed that he worked closely with Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a notorious bandit leader believed to operate across Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Zamfara States. According to his confession, Battijo supplied arms and ammunition used in multiple operations, including the Ayetoro church attack.
Authorities disclosed that Usman admitted to participating in kidnapping, banditry, and cattle rustling activities that have plagued parts of the North-Central and North-West regions. He allegedly played a coordinating role in logistics and intelligence gathering for several cross-state criminal syndicates.
Security sources said that after the Kogi attack drew national attention, Usman relocated to Gombe State in an effort to avoid detection. However, DSS operatives tracked his movements through sustained surveillance and intelligence operations, culminating in his arrest at a secured location within the state.
The DSS noted that the arrest underscores its ongoing efforts to combat banditry, terrorism, and organized crime across the country. Recent operations in Gombe State and other flashpoints have reportedly led to the neutralization of arms trafficking networks, the rescue of kidnapped victims, and the dismantling of cross-border criminal syndicates.
Usman is currently in DSS custody and is expected to be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Security agencies have reiterated their commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal networks and restoring safety to affected communities.
