Police Neutralise Three Suspected Kidnappers After Ogun Students’ Rescue

The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that three suspected kidnappers linked to the abduction of students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, were killed during a gun battle with security operatives.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this on Sunday while giving an update on recent operations carried out by the police and other security agencies across the country.

According to Iniedu, the abducted victims were rescued unharmed after security operatives mounted sustained pressure on the kidnappers.

He said operatives of the police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, working with the Department of State Services (DSS), later tracked the suspects to their hideout.

The operation reportedly led to a fierce exchange of gunfire between the security forces and the suspected kidnappers.

Three suspects were killed during the confrontation, while others reportedly escaped with gunshot injuries.

Iniedu said six students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic who had been abducted at Ipara were eventually rescued without injuries.

“Anti-Kidnapping and DSS operatives subsequently stormed the kidnappers’ hideout and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel. Three kidnappers were neutralised, while others escaped with gunshot wounds,” he said.

Security operatives also recovered an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, three mobile phones and N2.3 million during the operation.

The State Criminal Investigation Department has commenced further investigations to determine the full circumstances surrounding the abduction and identify other individuals who may have participated in the crime.

The development came after Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun assured residents that criminal elements would not be allowed to operate freely in the state.

The governor had made the statement following the rescue of five students and two other residents who were abducted in the state.

Speaking to journalists at his Oke-Mosan office in Abeokuta alongside security chiefs and some of the rescued victims, Abiodun credited the successful operation to the coordinated efforts of several security agencies and local security groups.

He said the operation involved the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, the DSS, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Ogun State Security Network Agency, also known as the Amotekun Corps, as well as local vigilantes and hunters.

The governor also disclosed that the operation received additional support through the deployment of a police helicopter after Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu approved its use for aerial surveillance.

According to Abiodun, the helicopter played a key role in supporting the ground forces and contributed to the successful rescue of the abducted students and other victims.

The latest development has further highlighted the importance of coordinated security operations in tackling kidnapping and protecting residents across Ogun State.