Strategist and policy adviser Baba Yusuf has cited the 2025 arrest of suspected bandit and kidnapper Yahaya Zango to underscore the importance of intelligence gathering and security screening in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, July 5, 2026, Yusuf said security agencies must strengthen intelligence operations to prevent criminals from exploiting gaps in the country’s security system.
Recalling the operation, Yusuf said the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Zango at the Abuja Hajj camp while he was disguised as an intending pilgrim preparing to travel for the annual Hajj.
“In 2025, a wanted bandit and kidnapper, Yahaya Zango, was arrested by the DSS at the Abuja Hajj camp disguised as an intending pilgrim who would have gone but for the screening. He was arrested,” Yusuf said.
According to Yusuf, the arrest highlighted the effectiveness of intelligence-led security operations, noting that the suspect would likely have left the country if he had not been identified during the screening exercise conducted by DSS operatives.
