The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the successful rescue of five abducted students of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, following a swift intelligence-led operation that unfolded across multiple locations in the state.
Addressing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, disclosed that the incident was reported late on April 27, 2026, when operatives at Ipara Division received a distress call indicating a suspected kidnapping.
He said a patrol team was immediately dispatched to the scene, where an ash-coloured Toyota vehicle riddled with bullet holes was discovered abandoned, with traces of blood, mobile phones and other personal effects recovered.
Preliminary findings, according to the police chief, revealed an identity card belonging to a student of Gateway Polytechnic, confirming that the victims were students and prompting the immediate activation of a full-scale rescue operation.
Ojajuni noted that tactical units, including operatives from Isara Area Command, Ipara Division, SWAT, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Violent Crime Response Unit, Quick Response Squad and OP MESA, were mobilised for a coordinated intervention.
The operation, he said, intensified on April 28 as security teams launched sustained bush-combing and intelligence-driven tracking along key corridors, particularly the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Fidiwo axis in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area.
He explained that mounting operational pressure forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims, leading to the safe rescue of all five students without any loss of life.
The police commissioner added that the victims were promptly evacuated, stabilised and taken to the Police Hospital in Abeokuta, where they received medical attention and were confirmed to be in stable condition.
Ojajuni further revealed that the fleeing suspects engaged operatives in a gun duel but were subdued by superior firepower, escaping with suspected gunshot wounds, while no casualty was recorded among security personnel.
Commending the professionalism and coordination of the operatives, he assured residents that ongoing operations are aimed at tracking down the suspects and bringing them to justice.
He thereafter formally handed over the rescued students to the management of Gateway Polytechnic, reiterating the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and maintaining security across Ogun State.