Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested three additional suspects linked to the kidnapping of Professor Samuel Avengbe Okunsebor, Dean of Agriculture at Nasarawa State University.

The arrests were made on Friday night at a location along the Lafia-Makurdi highway.

The development follows the earlier rescue of Okunsebor by DSS operatives two days after he was abducted on July 15, 2026, at Mile Uku, a border community between Lafia and Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Areas. Two other suspects were arrested at the time of the rescue.

The newly arrested individuals have been identified as 25-year-old Yakubu Abubakar, also known as Black or Starboy; 37-year-old Usman Abubakar Mairiga; and 27-year-old Sale Babauro Abubakar. They are currently in the custody of the state command for further investigation.

A security source confirmed that the detentions were carried out under a valid warrant from a magistrate’s court. The latest arrests bring the total number of persons held in connection with the incident to five.

Investigations into the kidnapping are ongoing as the DSS continues efforts to fully unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the university don.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper