THE Ogun State Police Command has announced the killing of a suspected kidnap kingpin during a targeted operation carried out by its Anti-Kidnapping Unit in the Orile Ilugun Forest area along the Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway.
According to the police, operatives recovered an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, ₦2 million believed to be linked to criminal activities, and two mobile phones during the raid.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Command’s spokesperson, CSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, explained that the operation followed intelligence gathered after the release of a kidnap victim who had been abducted on May 14, 2026, at Nufats Fuel Station in Odeda along the Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway.
The victim was reportedly freed unharmed on Sunday evening at about 8:30 p.m., after which police operatives intensified efforts to track down the gang responsible for the abduction.
Babaseyi said officers eventually traced the suspects to their hideout in the Orile Ilugun Forest around 6:00 a.m. yesterday.
He noted that the suspects opened fire immediately they sighted the police team, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
The police, however, overpowered the gang with what the Command described as “superior tactical firepower,” resulting in the death of the suspected kingpin, while other gang members escaped into the forest with suspected gunshot wounds.
Recovered items from the scene included an AK-47 rifle loaded with 20 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, ₦2 million cash, and two mobile phones.
The police added that the deceased suspect’s body has been deposited at a mortuary for autopsy, while security operatives continue efforts to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.
The Command reaffirmed its determination to combat kidnapping and violent crimes across Ogun State, urging residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible and timely information.
The latest operation comes just days after the Ogun State Police Command announced the killing of two suspected kidnappers and the arrest of an alleged gang leader identified as Seriki Mohammed Abdullahi, alongside another suspect, Mohammed Bello.
During that earlier operation, police also recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, a single-barrel gun, ₦1.5 million suspected to be ransom proceeds, several mobile phones, and a black bag.
