Femi Ashekun/
A soldier and four hostages were killed, while another soldier and two police officers were wounded, after suspected kidnappers launched a deadly attack on Chinese expatriates at a dredging site on the outskirts of Ogun State.
The violence erupted on Monday at Magbon Village in the Mowe area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, a fast-growing community along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
According to the Nigerian Army, security operatives responding to a distress call from the site came under attack from armed men suspected to be kidnappers, triggering a fierce gun battle.
The attackers were said to have targeted Chinese expatriates working at the dredging site before encountering a joint security team comprising military and police personnel.
Army spokesperson for the 35 Artillery Brigade, Major Idereghi Akari, said one of the suspected kidnappers was killed during the exchange of fire, while the remaining gunmen retreated through nearby forests leading towards the Ogun River.
In a desperate attempt to evade arrest, the fleeing attackers reportedly seized five civilians and used them as human shields while escaping from security operatives deployed as reinforcement.
The situation took a tragic turn when the gunmen allegedly killed four of the captives before escaping through a river channel in a boat.
A surviving hostage later told security personnel that the attackers also took away the body of their slain accomplice as they fled.
The operation came at a heavy cost for the security forces. One soldier was killed in the line of duty, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving medical treatment.
The bodies of the slain soldier and the four hostages have been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Sagamu.
The latest incident is likely to heighten concerns over the spread of kidnapping and violent crime into communities along the Lagos-Ogun corridor, due to its proximity to the nation’s economic hub.
Magbon and neighbouring communities are within commuting distance of Lagos, making the attack particularly alarming for residents, businesses and investors operating along the busy Lagos-Ibadan corridor.
Following the incident, security agencies intensified patrols and surveillance operations across the area in a bid to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks.
Akari said the military remained committed to working closely with other security agencies to safeguard lives and property, assuring residents that efforts were ongoing to strengthen security and restore public confidence in the area.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that authorities have not disclosed the identities of the deceased hostages, while further details about the Chinese expatriates who were the apparent targets of the foiled abduction attempt were not immediately available.
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