Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have rescued five students of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, in a swift intelligence driven operation that ended hours of anxiety after their abduction along the Ipara axis of the state.
The rescue followed a distress call received at about 10:55 p.m. on April 27, 2026, alerting officers at the Ipara Division to a suspected kidnapping incident involving occupants of a vehicle intercepted by armed criminals.
A patrol team dispatched to the scene discovered an ash coloured Toyota vehicle riddled with bullet marks and stained with blood, heightening fears over the safety of the victims. Personal belongings including mobile phones were recovered at the scene.
A breakthrough came when officers found an identity card linking one of the victims to Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, immediately confirming that the abducted occupants were students and triggering a high level security response.
Acting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Bode Ojajuni, ordered a coordinated and intelligence driven rescue mission, deploying multiple tactical formations across the affected corridor.
Teams drawn from the Isara Area Command, Ipara Division, SWAT, Anti Kidnapping Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit, Quick Response Squad and OP MESA launched an aggressive bush combing and tracking operation along suspected escape routes.
Police sources said sustained pressure mounted on the kidnappers forced a breakthrough within hours, leading to the safe recovery of all five victims on April 28, 2026.
During the operation, the kidnappers reportedly engaged security operatives in a gun battle but were overpowered by superior tactics and firepower, escaping into the bush with gunshot injuries.
The rescued students were immediately evacuated from the scene, debriefed and taken for medical attention following the ordeal in captivity, while no casualties were recorded among the security personnel.
Commending the operation, Ojajuni praised the professionalism and coordination of the tactical teams, assuring that ongoing manhunt operations will ensure the fleeing suspects are tracked down and brought to justice, even as residents are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through designated emergency lines.