KEY POINTS
- DSS arrests doctor for supplying kidnappers medical items.
- Doctor intercepted in Jebba amid intensified anti-kidnapping operations.
- Arrest highlights efforts to disrupt criminal logistics networks.
The Department of State Services has arrested a medical doctor for allegedly transporting medical supplies to suspected kidnapping gangs in Kwara State. The arrest shows that security operations in North-Central Nigeria are getting stronger and are focused on criminal logistics networks.
Doctor supplying kidnappers intercepted in Jebba
The Kwara State Government confirmed the arrest in a statement posted on its official Facebook page. Authorities intercepted the doctor in Jebba, Moro Local Government Area, after intelligence linked him to a syndicate supplying medical items to armed groups.
“The Department of State Services has taken into custody a medical doctor ferrying drugs from Sokoto to kidnappers in parts of Kwara State,” the statement said. “The doctor was intercepted following intelligence reports about the activities of the kidnappers and their couriers. Criminal gangs appear desperate for medical care following gunshot wounds sustained in clashes with security forces.”
Security sources said that authorities arrested the suspect as part of intensified operations to disrupt the logistics supporting kidnapping cells in the North-Central zone.
Efforts escalate against criminal logistics networks
Kidnapping gangs have increasingly sought medical treatment for injuries sustained during confrontations with security operatives, forcing authorities to heighten surveillance over medical supply movements.
Kwara, once one of the quieter North-Central states, has grown more dangerous in the last few months. Areas such as Kaiama, Baruten, Ekiti, and parts of Moro LGAs have recorded more incidents. Border communities are particularly vulnerable due to proximity to dense forests, which serve as hideouts for armed gangs.
Officials said disrupting these supply chains is critical to limiting kidnappers’ operational capabilities. “Targeting couriers and medical supply networks will weaken the gangs’ resilience and reduce the frequency of attacks on communities,” a source said.
The arrest highlights the evolving tactics of kidnappers and underscores the DSS’s commitment to proactive intelligence-led operations. Authorities continue to monitor supply routes and have vowed to intensify efforts to safeguard civilians in high-risk zones.
