The Department of State Services (DSS) has successfully recaptured a notorious commander of the Ansaru terrorist group believed to have masterminded the August 7, 2012, mass killing of Christian worshippers at a Deeper Life Bible Church near Okene in Kogi State. The suspect, identified as Abdulazeez Obadaki, also known as “Bomboy,” had been on the run since the 2022 jailbreak at the Kuje Custodial Centre, where he escaped alongside other high-profile inmates. His re-arrest marks a significant operational breakthrough for Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency.
The attack in 2012 remains one of the most shocking assaults on a place of worship in Nigeria. During a late-evening service, gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the church, cut off the power supply, and opened fire indiscriminately on worshippers who were gathered for prayer. Nineteen persons, including the church pastor, were killed, while many others sustained life-threatening injuries. The incident sent shockwaves across the country and highlighted the growing threat of violent extremism at that time.
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Investigations that followed the massacre linked Obadaki to the planning and execution of the attack, identifying him as a key figure within Ansaru’s operational hierarchy. Security sources said he coordinated logistics, surveillance, and the movement of weapons used in the church shooting. His subsequent involvement in other criminal activities, including the planning of a coordinated bank robbery in Edo State, further entrenched his reputation as a dangerous extremist with broad operational influence.
Obadaki’s first arrest in the years following the Okene attack was considered a major success for security agencies. However, the 2022 attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre created an opportunity for his escape. According to intelligence reports, he had played a role in coordinating the jailbreak from inside the facility before fleeing with other inmates. His disappearance triggered an extensive manhunt that spanned more than three years.
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The DSS noted that his recapture was the result of a carefully coordinated intelligence operation involving surveillance, undercover tracking, and collaboration with supporting security units. This latest development confirms the agency’s renewed strategy aimed at neutralizing remnants of terrorist cells still operating across parts of the country. Officials say the operation was executed without casualties and with a high degree of precision.
Security analysts have commended the DSS for what they describe as a significant step in closing one of the longest-running terrorism cases linked to the Okene massacre. They note that arresting a suspect with long-standing ties to Ansaru could yield sensitive intelligence that may help disrupt other potential attacks and expose deep networks still active within northern and central Nigeria.
The recapture also underscores a broader push by security forces to revamp counter-terrorism operations nationwide. In recent months, agencies have intensified joint operations, leading to multiple arrests and the neutralization of cells belonging to extremist groups. The DSS, in particular, has been vocal about its commitment to fast-tracking prosecution processes for arrested terror suspects, ensuring that long-standing cases do not remain unresolved.
Family members of victims of the 2012 attack have welcomed the news of the arrest, expressing hope that justice may finally be served more than a decade after the tragedy. Many of them have repeatedly called for the prosecution of all those involved, stressing that accountability would provide some measure of closure to families devastated by the incident.
Authorities say Obadaki will face a fresh round of charges, including terrorism, mass murder, conspiracy, escape from lawful custody, and participation in organized criminal activity. A formal arraignment is expected following the conclusion of preliminary interrogations and legal preparations by the DSS and the Ministry of Justice.
With this major arrest, security watchers believe that the government may be inching closer to dismantling the remnants of Ansaru’s operational structure. For now, the DSS says it remains committed to pursuing every individual involved in past terror attacks, reaffirming that no fugitive connected to national tragedies will be allowed to evade justice indefinitely.
