Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have neutralized two suspected kidnappers and arrested a notorious kidnapping kingpin alongside a gang member during a fierce gun duel along the Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan expressway.
The successful intelligence-led operation, which took place at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Friday, led to the apprehension of the gang’s leader, Seriki Mohammed Abdullahi, and another suspect, Mohammed Bello. The breakthrough follows the recent abduction of three family members who were violently seized by suspected bandits from the Ipojo Golden Estate in the Oke-Eri area of Ijebu-Ode on Monday.
According to police sources, the abducted victims managed to regain their freedom unharmed on Thursday evening, but only after an unspecified ransom had been paid to the criminals. Following their release, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad immediately intensified its tracking operations, successfully closing in on the syndicate’s hidden forest lair.
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Confirming the operation on Saturday, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed that the suspects opened fire on sighting the law enforcement officers. The police team responded professionally, neutralizing two of the gunmen on the spot, while several other gang members escaped deeper into the surrounding forest with varying degrees of bullet wounds.
Security operatives recovered a significant cache of items from the hideout, including an AK-47 rifle loaded with ten rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, a single-barrel gun, multiple mobile phones, a black bag, and ₦1.5 million in cash, which is heavily suspected to be part of the ransom proceeds.
The corpses of the neutralized suspects have since been deposited at a local morgue for autopsy. Meanwhile, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, has commended the squad for their gallantry and unwavering commitment to eradicating violent crime, while urging the public to remain vigilant and report any individuals seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot wounds.
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