Crime
Ogun Police Rescue Seven Kidnap Victims, Arrest 38 Suspects
The Ogun State Police Command says seven people abducted in Ipara have been rescued and three suspected kidnappers killed during a security operation in the state.
The command said the victims were rescued after a joint operation involving the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army and other security agencies.
It said 38 suspects were also arrested in separate operations between 3 and 6 August, although the figures in the police statement do not fully reconcile.
The arrests include 23 foreign nationals accused of involvement in an alleged Ponzi scheme and visa scam, 12 suspected cultists, an alleged armed robber and a suspected fraudster who police describe as a fake clergyman.
The police also reported recovering firearms, 75 rounds of ammunition, vehicles, motorcycles and other property suspected to be linked to criminal activity.
How the kidnap victims were rescued
According to the police, the seven victims were abducted at about 19:40 on 29 July along Paraga Street in Ipara, Ogun State.
The Anti-Kidnapping Unit began tracking the suspects after the abduction was reported, working with the DSS, army and other security agencies.
The operation received aerial support on 3 August after Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun asked Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to deploy a police helicopter.
The police said the combination of intelligence gathering, surveillance, aerial support and ground operations eventually led security forces to the victims.
All seven were taken to the Police Hospital for treatment. One had suffered a gunshot wound, according to the command.
The operation did not end with the rescue.
Police said officers and DSS personnel later traced the suspected kidnappers to a hideout along the Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway in the early hours of 6 August.
A gun battle followed, during which three suspected kidnappers were killed, according to the police. Other members of the gang escaped and may have sustained gunshot injuries, the command said.
An AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, four mobile phones and ₦2.3m in cash were recovered from the location, according to the statement.
The bodies were taken to the State Hospital morgue in Ijaiye, Abeokuta, for autopsy.
Police said efforts were continuing to find the fleeing suspects.
Other arrests and weapons recovered
In Itele, police arrested a man identified as Babatunde Olasunkanmi after a commercial motorcyclist reported that two passengers had allegedly attempted to rob him at gunpoint.
Police said a locally made cut-to-size double-barrel pistol, charms, a mobile phone and an ATM card were recovered from the suspect.
His alleged accomplice reportedly escaped with the motorcyclist’s Bajaj motorcycle.
In another operation at Onipanu-Ota, 23 foreign nationals were arrested over alleged Ponzi and visa fraud activities.
Police said one Malian passport bearing the name Diakite Alfousseini was recovered.
Twenty-one of the suspects were handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service on 5 August for further investigation, while two remained with the police over alleged obtaining by false pretence and related offences.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
Police also said detectives arrested Kehinde Makinde, known as “Pastor Kenny”, in Ibadan after a four-month investigation.
The command alleges that he defrauded members of a fellowship in Saje, Adatan, Ogun State, by promising to arrange a government-sponsored pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Police said about ₦2.5m was allegedly collected from 18 fellowship members, with each person promised ₦2m.
Makinde remains in police custody while investigators look for possible additional victims and accomplices.
Police recover SMG and 75 rounds
In a separate case, officers in the Sakura area recovered what the command described as an English submachine gun and 75 rounds of live ammunition.
The weapon was reportedly discovered inside a damaged wardrobe while a rented property previously occupied by a deceased landlord was being cleared.
Police said the weapon and ammunition would undergo ballistic examination.
The investigation is expected to establish how the firearms came to be hidden at the property and whether they have been used in any crime.
The command also reported the arrest of 12 suspected cultists at a hotel in Igbesa after receiving intelligence about alleged harassment and extortion.
Police said several suspects escaped.
Eight motorcycles, a Lexus vehicle, an unregistered Toyota Camry, knives, battle axes, charms and cult-related items were reportedly recovered.
In Owode-Egba, police recovered a Toyota Hilux which its owner said had been stolen from his residence four days earlier.
A 31-year-old man was also arrested over the alleged theft of a commercial tricycle. Police said the tricycle was recovered in Abeokuta.
Another abandoned Bajaj motorcycle was recovered in Sagamu.
Why the latest operation matters
The operations come as kidnapping and other violent crimes remain a concern across Ogun and neighbouring states.
Security researchers have recorded kidnapping, cult violence and armed crime among the major security threats in Ogun. Between January 2024 and December 2025, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) recorded 131 security incidents in the state, resulting in 121 fatalities.
ACLED has also warned in 2026 that mass kidnapping, once more heavily associated with northern Nigeria, is increasingly affecting southern parts of the country.
Ogun has already responded with greater emphasis on joint operations.
In June, the Ogun and Lagos police commands launched Operation Kosaye to target kidnapping and other violent crimes along the two states’ shared corridors. The operation involved searches of forests and suspected criminal hideouts, with police reporting the rescue of kidnapped victims and arrests of suspects.
The state government has also said it wants greater use of technology and stronger security coordination. In June, Governor Abiodun said Ogun was on high alert over rising insecurity and announced plans to strengthen the state’s security architecture.
The latest operation therefore represents a continuation of that strategy rather than an isolated intervention.
But the rescue of seven victims also highlights the continuing challenge: security agencies were able to free the hostages only after an abduction had already taken place.
What happens next?
The rescued victims are receiving medical attention, while investigations into the suspected kidnapping gang continue.
Police said the fleeing suspects remain targets of the operation.
The 21 foreign nationals transferred to Immigration will face separate investigation over their immigration status and the allegations surrounding the suspected scheme. The two retained by police are expected to face prosecution if investigators establish sufficient evidence.
For residents, the immediate benefit is the rescue of seven people and the disruption of a suspected kidnapping network.
The Ogun Police Command has urged residents to remain vigilant and provide information about suspected criminal activity.
Police in Ogun State say they have arrested two suspects after foiling an alleged robbery at a student hostel in the Eruku/Agbon area of Ewekoro.
The suspects, identified by the police as Waris Dauda and Tiamiyu Abiodun, were arrested in the early hours of 13 September 2026 after officers responded to a distress call about an armed robbery involving students.
The Ogun State Police Command said 11 assorted iPhones, an HP laptop and clothing were recovered from a school bag allegedly abandoned by the suspects as they fled from the scene.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 2:40am.
Police respond to distress call
According to the command, an anonymous caller alerted the Ewekoro Division that an armed gang was robbing students at an off-campus hostel in the community.
Operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer were immediately dispatched to the area, the police said.
The command said the suspects fled after sighting the officers, abandoning the bag containing the alleged stolen property.
Two men were subsequently arrested following a police pursuit.
The recovered phones and other items have reportedly been identified by some of the robbery victims as their property.
Police allege ₦200,000 transfer
The police said preliminary investigations indicated that the gang allegedly forced one of the victims to transfer ₦200,000 to an account during the robbery.
Detectives have visited the scene and documented evidence of forced entry, according to the command.
Search warrants were also executed at the suspects’ residences, although the police said no additional incriminating items were recovered.
The two suspects and the recovered exhibits are being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and prosecution.
Police pursue other gang members
The command said investigations were continuing to identify and arrest other members of the alleged robbery gang.
Police are also working to locate the owner of the account into which the ₦200,000 was allegedly transferred.
The arrests follow growing security concerns around off-campus accommodation, where students may live outside the direct security arrangements of their institutions.
The police have urged operators of student hostels and landlords to maintain emergency contact numbers and promptly report suspicious activities.
Police issue emergency contacts
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ewekoro officers for what the command described as their timely response.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting students and other residents from criminal activity across the state.
Students, hostel operators and residents can report security threats or suspicious activities through the Gateway Shield toll-free line 0800 000 9111, or 09164859299 and 09154293464.
The suspects remain subject to investigation, and the allegations against them have not been established by a court.
The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, known as So-Safe Corps, says it has recovered three suspected firearms from an abandoned bag during a security patrol in the Ajibawo area of the state.
The Corps said the bag was abandoned by a man who fled after officers approached him for routine questioning during a patrol in the early hours of September 13, 2026.
According to a statement by the State Commander, Dr Soji Ganzallo, made available by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Assistant Commander Adegunwa Adegbuyi, the incident happened around 12:35pm near Success Unit Post, Success CDA, Ajibawo.
Man flees during security questioning
The Corps said officers from its Kajola Oke-Ore Divisional Command were conducting a routine patrol when they noticed a male individual carrying a bag on his back.
Officers reportedly approached him to ask about his movement and the contents of the bag.
So-Safe Corps said the man ran away when he realised that he was being questioned by security operatives.
The officers pursued him, but he allegedly abandoned the bag and escaped into the surrounding area.
What was found in the bag?
The Corps said its officers inspected the abandoned bag and found several tools and three suspected firearms.
The reported items included a pair of pliers, a measuring tape, a carpenter’s bar, one pistol, one single-barrel firearm and one suspected AK-type rifle.
The Corps said the recovered items were secured before the incident was reported through its command structure.
Case transferred to police
The matter has since been transferred to the Atan-Ota Divisional Police Command, according to So-Safe Corps.
The police are expected to investigate the recovered items, determine their status and establish the identity and possible criminal connections, if any, of the person who allegedly abandoned the bag.
The individual remained at large as of the time of the Corps’ report.
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Why it matters
The recovery comes amid ongoing efforts by security agencies and community-based security organisations in Ogun State to prevent crime through patrols, intelligence gathering and cooperation with residents.
However, the discovery of suspected firearms alone does not establish that the fleeing individual had committed a crime. Any criminal liability would depend on the outcome of police investigations and, where applicable, judicial proceedings.
So-Safe commander praises officers
Dr Ganzallo commended the officers involved in the operation for what he described as vigilance, prompt response and commitment to duty.
He said the recovery demonstrated the importance of sustained security patrols and intelligence gathering.
The commander also reiterated the Corps’ commitment to intelligence-led operations, protection of lives and property, and collaboration with other security agencies.
He urged residents, community leaders and members of the public to report credible information about suspicious people, movements or activities to the appropriate authorities.
So-Safe Corps said the recovered items would undergo further investigation by the relevant authorities as efforts continue to identify the person who abandoned the bag.
Police in Ogun State have recovered a stolen 2016 Toyota Camry from a hotel in Ifo less than eight hours after it was reported missing.
The Ogun State Police Command said it arrested one person in connection with the incident, while efforts are continuing to apprehend another suspect who fled the scene.
The vehicle reportedly belonged to an Indian national based at the Ilupeju Industrial Estate in Lagos.
Driver allegedly disappears with car
According to the police, the vehicle was allegedly stolen on 9 September 2026 by the owner’s driver, identified as Waidi Olaide Kolawale.
Police said Kolawale had been employed only two days before the incident.
He allegedly told his employer that he was taking the Toyota Camry to a nearby vulcaniser to repair a tyre but did not return with the vehicle.
After the report was made, the vehicle was electronically tracked to the Ifo area in Ogun State.
The information was passed to the Divisional Police Officer of Ifo Division, CSP Kamorudeen Olabisi, who deployed surveillance and anti-robbery officers.
Police track car to Ifo hotel
The officers followed the vehicle through several locations before locating it at a hotel in Ifo at about 8:30pm, the police said.
Police said Kolawale fled after seeing the officers, taking the ignition key with him.
His alleged accomplice, identified as Monday Adetunji, was arrested at the hotel.
A preliminary investigation reportedly found that the suspects had approached a mechanic to remove the vehicle’s catalytic converter, commonly referred to as a catalyst.
The mechanic allegedly refused to carry out the request, according to the police.
Police intensify search for fleeing suspect
The recovered Toyota Camry has been secured by the police, while investigators are working to arrest Kolawale and establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged theft.
The command described the recovery as an example of its use of electronic tracking, intelligence gathering and rapid police deployment to respond to reported crimes.
However, the allegations have not been tested in court, and the suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ifo officers for what he described as their professionalism, vigilance and swift response.
He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
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Police advise vehicle owners, hoteliers
The command urged vehicle owners to consider reliable tracking devices and additional anti-theft measures, including steering and tyre locks.
It also advised members of the public to carry out due diligence before giving people access to vehicles, homes or businesses.
Hoteliers were urged to strengthen guest and vehicle verification procedures, keep accurate records and report suspicious people, vehicles or activities to the police.
The command said suspicious activities can be reported through its Gateway Shield toll-free line, 0800 000 9111, or 09164859299 and 09154293464.
Why the recovery matters
The incident highlights how vehicle-tracking technology can assist police investigations when stolen vehicles are reported quickly.
It also underscores the importance of verifying employees and other people entrusted with access to valuable property.
For vehicle owners, prompt reporting, functioning tracking devices and basic anti-theft measures can provide additional layers of protection.
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