Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) apprehend six suspected bandits, including three women, at Kaduna International Airport shortly after their return from the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The DSS arrested the suspected bandits at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday as they disembarked from a flight carrying Nigerian pilgrims. Intelligence reports linked the individuals to banditry activities in Northern Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest region.
According to sources, the suspects' identities remain undisclosed, but they are currently undergoing interrogation to determine their involvement in banditry and related crimes. This arrest follows a similar high-profile case on May 19, 2025, when the DSS apprehended alleged kidnap kingpin Sani Galadi at Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto, during routine Hajj screening ¹ ².
The DSS operation is part of heightened security measures to curb the infiltration of criminal elements during pilgrimage activities. The agency is working closely with state pilgrim agencies to ensure a secure environment for Hajj operations and prevent the exploitation of religious gatherings by criminal networks.
This latest arrest demonstrates the DSS's increasing reliance on intelligence efforts to track and intercept suspected criminal elements exploiting religious travel to avoid detection ².