10-Year Manhunt Ends As DSS Arrests ‘Notorious Gunrunner’

The Department of State Services (DSS) has made a big catch in one Jonah Abbey described as a notorious gunrunner.

Abbey, it was said, had been on the wanted list of the DSS for ten years. His arrest was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by DSS spokesman, Tony Opuiyo.

Abbey was said to be arrested along with his driver, Agyo Saviour, in Taraba State.Abbey, the DSS said, sold weapons to criminal groups in Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Rivers, Imo, Anambra, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states.

“Indications are that he sources arms from the Republic of Cameroon and parts of the north-east of Nigeria,” the DSS said.

The DSS said it had also arrested a kidnap kingpin, Lawal Ibrahim, popularly known as Alhaji Awalu in Plateau State in a separate operation.

He was arrested at Chiwarna Hotel, Angwan Rogo, by Bauchi Road in Plateau State with two others – Ado Saleh and Bayero Adamu.

The DSS explains further in the statement: “The syndicate was responsible for the killing of a personnel of the Service in the state, Daanan Balgnan, on 30th December 2017 and was involved in other high profile kidnap incidents in Plateau and neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Bauchi.

“Following the arrest, the sum of N1.5 million was recovered from the suspects. The money is part of the sum of N2 million ransom, which the syndicate collected from Ayuba Gamale, a staff of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), whose two (2) abducted family members were released on 14th March 2018. Other members of the syndicate are still being trailed by the Service.

“The arrest of these suspects is significant for two different, but related reasons. In the first case, the arrested kidnap kingpin, Ibrahim, is adjudged the most dangerous in Plateau State, as he is known to be principally responsible for recent kidnap incidents in the state.”