Ogun police kill 2 kidnappers, rescue truck driver

The Ogun State Police Command has launched a major offensive against kidnappers, killing two suspected members of a kidnapping gang, rescuing an abducted truck driver and recovering two AK-47 rifles, ammunition and N2 million from the criminals.

The operation, carried out by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, followed the abduction of the truck driver around Ajibawo, Ibese, in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state. The victim was reportedly kidnapped at about 11:10pm on August 25, 2026.

According to the police, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit immediately mobilised following a distress report and commenced efforts to locate the victim and apprehend the kidnappers.

The breakthrough came when operatives, acting on actionable intelligence, stormed the gang’s hideout along the Papalanto-Ilaro Road. The suspects reportedly opened fire on the police operatives, leading to a gun battle in which two members of the gang were killed.

Other members of the gang, according to the police, escaped from the scene with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. A search of the hideout subsequently yielded two AK-47 rifles, 25 rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, two mobile phones and N2 million, suspected to be proceeds of criminal activities. The victim was also rescued during the operation.

Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (DPPRO), ASP Oluborode Opeyemi, who disclosed this in a statement, said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of the command’s intelligence-driven approach to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes.

He said the command had intensified efforts to track down the fleeing members of the gang, adding that the bodies of the two suspects had been deposited at a morgue for autopsy.

Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for what he described as its gallantry, professionalism, courage and operational effectiveness.

Ojajuni warned kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the state that Ogun would remain a hostile terrain for them.

He assured residents that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led policing, tactical operations and community partnerships to protect lives and property.

The CP also appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, particularly those seeking treatment for gunshot injuries.

He said information from members of the public would assist the police in tracking down the fleeing suspects and dismantling the kidnapping network.