Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have successfully rescued five students of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, following a fierce gun battle with their abductors. The students were kidnapped in the Sapade area of the state on April 27, 2026, and regained their freedom on April 28, 2026.
Distress Call and Initial Response
The incident occurred at approximately 2255 hours when operatives of the Ipara division received a distress report about a suspected kidnapping. A patrol team was promptly deployed to the scene, where an ash-colored Toyota vehicle was found abandoned. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed this in a statement to journalists in Abeokuta.
According to Babaseyi, the team observed visible bullet impacts and blood stains on the vehicle. Mobile phones and other personal belongings were recovered from inside the car. Further examination of the scene revealed an identity card belonging to a student of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, confirming that the vehicle's occupants were students.
Full-Scale Rescue Operation
The development prompted the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, to order the deployment of tactical units and direct an intelligence-led, full-scale rescue operation to locate and rescue the victims. Acting on this directive, operatives from the Isara Area Command, Ipara Division, SWAT, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Quick Response Squad (QRS), and OP MESA swiftly mobilized and conducted coordinated bush combing and tracking operations along suspected escape routes.
“The sustained operational pressure led to the successful rescue of the five victims from the custody of the abductors on 28th April 2026. The victims were immediately evacuated, debriefed, and taken for medical attention due to conditions sustained while in captivity,” Babaseyi stated.
Gun Duel and Escape of Suspects
During the rescue operation, the kidnappers engaged the operatives in a gun duel but were overwhelmed by superior firepower and tactical response, forcing them to flee with suspected gunshot wounds. No casualties were recorded among security operatives, the Police PRO added.
The Commissioner commended the professionalism demonstrated in the swift coordination of all tactical units involved, noting that the intelligence-driven response was decisive to the success of the operation. He further assured that bush combing operations remain ongoing to track, apprehend, and bring the fleeing suspects to justice.
Call for Public Vigilance
Ojajuni urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements to the nearest police formation or through the Command's emergency lines: Gateway Shield (Toll-Free): 0800 000 9111; 0906 283 7609; 0912 014 1706; 0915 102 7369; and 0708 497 2994.
