The name of the suspect was given as SAMUEL ASUQUO, and a DSS statement said he was arrested at location known as Nasarawa Bakoko village in Cross River State.
The statement issued by TONY OPUIYO of DSS disclosed that the suspect is believed to be the mastermind of the kidnap of three Australian staff of Lafarge Cement Company.
The statement further claimed that ASUQUO and members of his kidnapping gang were paid a ransom of one hundred and fifty million naira in respect of the kidnapped Australians.
The DSS said the breakthrough in the arrest of the suspect is the outcome of its sustained tactical and counter-terrorism operations across the country.
The statement also confirmed the arrest of three members of a notorious kidnap gang operating around the Abuja-Kaduna axis, during an operation in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The suspects, who were picked up last Tuesday, were identified as BAMAIYI MUSTAPHA, AMINU ISA and HASSAN SHEHU.
It noted that the gang members had earlier kidnapped five Igbo women and collected the sum of thirteen million naira as ransom.
The DSS statement also confirmed the arrest of ALHASSAN MUSA and ADO Yusuf in connection with another notorious kidnapping gang at Tamburawa village, along Kano-Zaria Expressway, in Kano State.
ABDULRASHEED IBRAHIM and ALIYU UMAR were also arrested by DSS operatives in connection with a kidnapping and robbery gang operating in Zamfara State.
In the South-East; DSS operatives smashed a gang of criminals in the commercial town of Aba in Abia State, with the arrest of CHIEDOZIE EBERE, BARTHOLOMEW MICHEAL, CHINWEOTITO INNOCENT and CELESTINE IKARANGWAN.
One MIKE EWUGBARA was also arrested in Okigwe, Imo State over alleged child trafficking, while three allegedly kidnapped children were rescued from his hideout.
