Ogun police rescue 10 kidnap victims, kill suspect

On Tuesday, ten passengers were abducted from a commercial bus traveling from Benin City, Edo State, to Ibadan, Oyo State, at Orita Fufu, Awa-Ijebu, in Ogun State. The victims, recently discharged corps members, were released unharmed on Sunday after security forces exerted pressure to secure their freedom. The bus was intercepted around 7 pm at Orita Fufu, along the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan Road, when gunmen took the travelers into the forest.

An escapee alerted relatives, while the remaining passengers remained captive. The families of the victims had reported the kidnapping, with the initial demand increasing to N25 million within 24 hours. The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the abduction but clarified that none of the victims was a serving corps member. A follow-up operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit's operatives on Saturday resulted in a gun battle at the suspected kidnappers' hideout, resulting in the neutralization of one individual and the escape of others with gunshot wounds.

During the operation, law enforcement recovered an AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of ammunition, N1,376,800 in cash, and a mobile phone. The police have intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects. The police urge the public to report any suspicious individuals with gunshot wounds to the nearest law enforcement agency.