DSS recaptures Ansaru commander behind Okene Church massacre

The Department of State Services (DSS) has recaptured Abdulazeez Obadaki, a top commander of the Ansaru terrorist group and the suspected mastermind of the August 7, 2012 mass shooting at Deeper Life Bible Church near Okene, Kogi State.

The attack claimed the lives of 19 worshippers, including the pastor, while several others were injured after three gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the church.

Security sources revealed that Obadaki, who also orchestrated a daylight robbery of five commercial banks in Uromi, Edo State, was initially arrested but escaped during the July 2022 jailbreak at Kuje Custodial Centre.

He later confessed to planning the jailbreak following his transfer from Kabba Custodial Centre in June 2022.

After more than three years on the run, DSS operatives recaptured Obadaki, also known as “Bomboy,” on Friday morning in a well-coordinated intelligence-led operation.

The arrest follows the recent arraignment of five suspects linked to the 2022 Catholic Church attack in Owo, Ondo State, highlighting the secret police’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on terrorist and criminal networks across Nigeria.

During the Uromi bank robberies in February 2022, multiple policemen and civilians were killed, and hundreds of millions of Naira were stolen, causing widespread fear in the region.

The DSS has emphasized that the trial of arrested suspects is being fast-tracked under its new leadership, signaling a more aggressive approach to combating terrorism and violent crime.