Security forces have foiled a planned abduction in Nasarawa State and arrested a man accused of demanding money from a woman under threat of kidnap.

The suspect, Mukaila Iliyasu, was picked up at Akwaba in Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area during a coordinated sting by troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, and operatives of the Department of State Services.

According to a statement on Monday by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, the DSS had on October 29 alerted the military that Iliyasu allegedly threatened a female resident, demanding N200,000 to spare her from being abducted.

To trap him, the joint team set up an undercover operation. A soldier disguised as the person sent to deliver the money approached the suspect, leading to his arrest at the point of collection. The N200,000 was recovered at the scene.

The military described the exercise as an intelligence-driven intervention that prevented a possible kidnapping and highlighted the value of inter-agency collaboration.

After his arrest, Iliyasu was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and prosecution.

The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, commended the troops and DSS personnel for their professionalism and effective coordination.

Sources: Punch Newspapers, Vanguard, Daily Trust, ThisDay.