Matilda Omonaiye/
The police in Ogun have pulled off a swift and high-stakes rescue operation, freeing five abducted students of Gateway Polytechnic less than 24 hours after they were kidnapped in the Sapade area.
The students were reportedly seized by armed criminals on the night of April 27, 2026, at about 10:55 p.m., prompting a rapid response from the Ipara Division following a distress call.
What officers met at the scene painted a grim picture: an ash-coloured Toyota vehicle riddled with bullet holes, smeared with blood, and abandoned by the roadside. Inside were mobile phones and personal belongings, alongside an identity card confirming that the victims were students of Gateway Polytechnic. The discovery immediately triggered a full-scale security operation.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, wasted no time. He ordered the immediate deployment of tactical units and directed an intelligence-led rescue mission, mobilising operatives across multiple formations.
Teams drawn from the Isara Area Command, Ipara Division, SWAT, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Quick Response Squad (QRS), and OP MESA launched coordinated bush combing and tracking operations across suspected escape routes.
Under sustained pressure, the kidnappers cracked.
By April 28, barely 24 hours after the abduction, the five students were rescued alive from captivity.
Police authorities said the victims were promptly evacuated, debriefed, and taken for medical attention following the ordeal.
The rescue operation, however, came with a fierce confrontation. Security operatives reportedly engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel within the forest. Outgunned and overwhelmed by the coordinated assault, the suspects fled with suspected gunshot wounds. No casualties were recorded among the police team.
Commending the operatives, CP Ojajuni praised their gallantry, discipline, and synergy, describing the mission as a testament to the effectiveness of intelligence-driven policing.
He assured residents that follow-up operations are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements to security agencies.
The Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property, even as it intensifies efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks operating within the state.
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