A shocking kidnapping has sent ripples through Ibadan as a 12-year-old student of a private secondary school was abducted on Thursday morning.
Eyewitnesses reported that the girl was taken by masked gunmen driving a car without number plates, who fired sporadically to scare bystanders.
The incident occurred around 7:20 a.m. in the Challenge area of Ibadan, near the victim’s school. According to one eyewitness, who requested anonymity, “The kidnappers pursued the girl’s mother and seized the child despite her resistance.
They then sped off through the Challenge area, leaving terrified witnesses behind.”
DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident, noting that detectives were promptly deployed to the scene.
“Preliminary investigations are underway. Eyewitness accounts are helping us gather valuable leads to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he stated.
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The police assured that the child’s parents have been contacted and are working closely with authorities to ensure the safe rescue of their daughter.
The state Commissioner of Police has ordered a comprehensive, intelligence-driven investigation, exploring all possibilities to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction.
Residents have been urged to remain calm and provide any information that could assist the police, with assurances that such information will be treated confidentially.
This incident echoes recent security concerns in Ibadan, following the December 2025 kidnapping of APC chieftain Wale Oriade, who was released after 39 days in captivity.
The recurring cases highlight growing fears over public safety and the need for stronger security measures in the state.
Authorities continue to appeal to the public for vigilance as efforts to locate the young girl and her abductors intensify.
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