The Department of State Services on Sunday arrested a man suspected to he involved in the kidnap of persons for ransom.

The man, who had been on DSS watchlist, was in his way to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s hajj when he was spotted and picked up by eagle-eyed DSS operatives.

Yahaya Zango was said to have been fished out while lining up at the hajj camp in Abuja to be screened along with other pilgrims ahead of their departure to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s spiritual exercise.

A security source said that Zango, who resides in the Paikon-Kore area of the Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, had reportedly been declared wanted by security agencies over his alleged involvement in multiple kidnapping incidents.

According to the source, Zango was apprehended after he presented his passport as part of a group of Muslim pilgrims from Abuja preparing to embark on this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

The security official said, “It was this afternoon during the screening at the hajj camp in the airport when the DSS operatives apprehended him and whisked him away. The source did not give further details.

A top DSS source confirmed the arrest of the kidnap suspect to Vanguard on Sunday night but declined to elaborate on when he would be charged.