The Ogun State Police Command has killed five suspected kidnappers during a gun battle along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The state police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday. She said the operation followed a distress call from travelers who reported an armed robbery near Ilishan.
“The Area Commander in Sagamu received an emergency call from commuters about an ongoing robbery. Acting quickly, he sent a team of officers to the scene,” Odutola said.
She explained that the gunmen had blocked the road with a truck and were shooting at travelers. In the chaos, they kidnapped three people—Bolaji Bilesanmi, 65, Olasunkanmi Idowu, 50, and Mohammed Salisu. The victims were taken into the forest from two vehicles, a Honda Pilot (Lagos EKY113GZ) and a Honda Accord (Lagos KJA13QFA).
Following the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, ordered a covert operation led by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
“On January 29, 2025, at about 4:00 a.m., our officers traced the kidnappers to their hideout. When the criminals saw the police, they opened fire, leading to a fierce gun battle. Five kidnappers were killed, while others escaped with gunshot wounds,” Odutola added.
The police recovered one AK-47 rifle, ten rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, ₦5.2 million suspected to be ransom money, and three mobile phones.
“The three kidnapped victims were rescued unharmed, and efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining gang members,” Odutola said.
She also warned criminals, especially young people involved in kidnapping, that the police will not tolerate such activities in Ogun State.
