Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Shafiu Usman, the suspected mastermind of the deadly December 14, 2025 attack on the ECWA Church in Ayetoro, Kogi State, security sources said on Friday.

The attack, which occurred during a Sunday service in the Ayetoro-Kiri community of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, resulted in the abduction of more than 20 worshippers, sparking widespread alarm and a manhunt by security agencies.

Sources told news organisations that Usman was tracked to a hideout in Gombe State after months on the run and taken into custody by DSS operatives. During interrogation he reportedly confessed to orchestrating the church attack and admitted involvement in several other kidnapping operations across Niger, Kwara and Kogi States.

Security officials also say Usman revealed he collaborated with Ibrahim Dange Battijo, a wanted bandit who has been linked to criminal activity in multiple states and is alleged to have supplied him with arms and ammunition used in the attacks.

The arrest is seen as a significant breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to dismantle banditry and kidnapping networks that have terrorised parts of North-Central Nigeria. The DSS said the suspect remains in its custody and will be arraigned in court once investigations are completed.

Relatives of the abducted worshippers and residents in the affected communities have welcomed the development, saying it brings hope for justice and answers after months of uncertainty. Security analysts also say the arrest may provide valuable intelligence for tracking other suspects connected to the case.