Just In: DSS Speaks on Alleged Abduction of Operatives in Abuja

• The spokesperson of Department of the State Services (DSS), Peter Afunanya, has reacted to a media report stating some operatives of the agency were kidnapped in Abuja
• Afunanya described the report as false, stating that no DSS operative was kidnapped in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
• The media report had stated that some gunmen killed a vigilante and kidnapped an unknown number of DSS operatives

FCT, Abuja - The Department of the State Services (DSS) has refuted a media report that bandits in Abaji council area of the Federal Capital Territory abducted some of its operatives.

A media report had earlier stated that gunmen suspected to be bandits had stormed a community in the council in the wee hours of Saturday, December 18, and abducted an unspecified number of DSS operatives.

The report, quoting eyewitnesses, said gunmen besieged the locality and shot sporadically for hours leaving one vigilante operative dead and an unknown number of operatives of the secret police kidnapped.

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However, The Guardian reported that DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, in a terse response, described the report as false, saying:

“No DSS personnel was abducted in Abaji or anywhere in the FCT.”

Abaji, located along the Abuja-Lokoja expressway, is notorious for series of crimes, including highway robbery and abduction of travellers.

Panic as kidnappers murder top Nigerian lawmaker

In another report, Rilwanu Gadagau, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Giwa West, was killed by abductors on Wednesday, December 15, after he was kidnapped on Monday, December 13.

Gadagau was said to have been killed by the criminals while they headed to their hideout in the forest. The abductors kidnapped at least two travellers in the attack.

Close sources said the lawmaker spoke last with one of his colleagues, Shehu Yunusa, before he was killed. One of the sources said:

“They were on phone with his colleague Shehu Yunusa on that fateful night, telling his member colleague that he was informed about kidnapping incident taking place ahead of them. He was contemplating on either returning to Kaduna or proceeding to Zaria when he abruptly took excuse and hung the phone."

Source: Legit.ng