The Nigerian Armed Forces have arrested suspected security personnel who were alleged to be taking N60 million ransom to bandits for the freedom of some captives.
The intelligence-driven operations conducted by a Nigerian Army squadron and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Special Forces, took out a number of the bandits and also rescued kidnapped victims including women and children.
The contingent is of the 271 NAF in Birnin Gwari and Army Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Gwaska, Kaduna.
“N60,000,000 in cash, petroleum products and sophisticated weapons, were recovered during the operations,” an operative told PRNigeria.
“We will refer the case of the arrested couriers, who have identifications with security agencies, to the Department of State Service (DSS) and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for further investigation.”
Troops also recovered vehicles, AK-47 rifles, magazines, various kinds of ammunition and mobile phones.
It was gathered that the DIA alerted the DSS and the military that some persons were to move questionable funds through Kaduna.
“After the hint, the DSS and the military deployed Special Forces to the road. The suspects were caught and the hostages rescued,” a source said.
It is unclear if the N60 million intercepted was from a single operation nor if the victims were part of those seized after the March 28 deadly attack on the Kaduna-Abuja train.