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DSS arrests two suspected ISWAP members in Lagos ahead of Christmas
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Suspects allegedly fled North-East insurgency zone to Lagos
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Arrest heightens security concerns in South-West
Tension has risen in Lagos following the arrest of two suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) by operatives of the Department of State Services, just days before the Christmas celebration.
The suspects, identified as Modu Gana and Ibrahim Dugge, were reportedly apprehended on Sunday, December 21, 2025, during a security operation in the Apapa area of the state.
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A security source familiar with the operation disclosed that the arrests took place around 8:45am, adding that both men are currently in detention undergoing interrogation by security operatives.
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According to intelligence findings, the suspects were believed to have relocated from the insurgency-ravaged North-East to Lagos, raising concerns about possible expansion of terror activities beyond the traditional conflict zones.
As of the time of filing this report, the specific mission of the suspects in Lagos had not been officially disclosed.
When contacted, an official of the DSS media unit said the arrests had not yet been formally brought to the attention of the agency’s spokesperson, consistent with the service’s recent low-profile media policy.
The DSS has maintained limited public engagement since the redeployment of its former spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, explaining that the approach is aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness and intelligence gathering.
ISWAP has previously carried out deadly attacks outside the North-East. In June 2022, the group attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, killing scores of worshippers during a Sunday mass.
