Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have rescued the Administrative Secretary of Kibiya Local Government Area in Kano State, Alhaji Hamza Durya, who was reported to have been kidnapped, and arrested two suspected members of the kidnapping gang.
The LG secretary was reported to have been abducted on Friday night at his residence in Durya village after armed men stormed his home in a coordinated operation.
Confirming the development, the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against criminality in the state. He said DSS operatives acted swiftly and professionally, ensuring the safe release of the victim while apprehending two suspects who sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter.
The Commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, stressing that community cooperation is vital in addressing security challenges across all local government areas.
Speaking after regaining his freedom, Durya recounted how the attackers gained entry into his home by threatening his son and forcing him to reveal his whereabouts. He said he was subsequently chained, blindfolded, and taken to a remote location in Rano Local Government Area, where he was held in a livestock enclosure.
According to him, the abductors initially demanded a ransom of N300 million, which was later reduced to N100 million. He alleged that they claimed he had close ties to the Kano State governor, which influenced their demand.
Durya further alleged that the kidnappers were misled by an informant within his community that suggested he had access to large sums of money. He added that the gang came from Rijana in Kaduna State and thanked the DSS for rescuing him without any ransom payment.
One of the arrested suspects, identified as Nasiru, reportedly confessed that the group, comprising about ten members, carried out the abduction with the help of local collaborators.
