DSS Recaptures Infamous Ansaru Terrorist After Years on the Run.
In a stunning turn of events, Nigeria’s Department of State Services has recaptured Abdulazeez Obadaki, the notorious Ansaru operative who slipped away during the brazen Kuje prison break in 2022. For more than two years, Obadaki had eluded security forces, moving through shadows and safe havens while orchestrating violent operations across the country. His crimes include deadly attacks in Uromi and the shocking shooting at Deeper Life College in Okene, acts that sent ripples of fear through communities and security agencies alike. Friday’s arrest, carried out in a carefully planned intelligence operation, marks a decisive moment in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts. Officials say months of surveillance and painstaking investigation led to the capture, signalling that the fugitive network behind some of the country’s most audacious attacks is beginning to crumble. Obadaki’s recapture follows the earlier arrests of top Ansaru leaders, moves that have effectively dismantled the terror group’s central command. Yet security analysts warn that even with key figures in custody, Ansaru’s dispersed cells could still pose threats, underlining the ongoing challenge of rooting out violent networks that operate in the shadows. The Kuje jailbreak, which freed hundreds of inmates, had exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the prison system. Obadaki’s escape then had become a symbol of that failure — a ghost haunting Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. His capture now reverses that narrative, offering a measure of closure and a message that the long arm of justice, however delayed, still reaches those who threaten the nation’s security. While the arrest of Obadaki is a tangible victory, experts emphasise that dismantling a terror network requires more than arrests. Sustained intelligence, rigorous prosecution, and unwavering security reforms will determine whether Nigeria can truly claim a turning point in the battle against Ansaru.
| 2025-11-15 15:17:24