Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Four passengers kidnapped by armed attackers along the Igbeti–Kishi road in northern Oyo State have been successfully rescued after an intensive search operation carried out by a joint security team, bringing relief to residents of the Oke-Ogun region where highway kidnappings have increasingly raised security concerns.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of March 5, 2026, when suspected gunmen ambushed travellers along the rural highway connecting the towns of Igbeti and Kishi in Irepo Local Government Area of Oyo State. According to police authorities, the attackers emerged suddenly from nearby bushes and blocked the road before intercepting a commercial vehicle travelling toward Kishi. During the attack, the criminals forcefully seized four passengers from the vehicle and dragged them into the surrounding forest.
Witnesses reported that the sudden ambush triggered panic among motorists and nearby residents, as the assailants reportedly wielded firearms while forcing the victims away from the road. The attack occurred along a corridor that connects communities near the border between Oyo and neighbouring Kwara State, an area security analysts say has become vulnerable due to dense forest reserves that criminals often use as hideouts.
The Oyo State Police Command said the incident was immediately reported to authorities, prompting the Commissioner of Police in the state, Femi Haruna, to order a rapid response operation. Police leadership instructed the Divisional Police Officers in Igbeti and Kishi divisions to mobilise personnel alongside tactical units to ensure the victims were rescued and the perpetrators tracked down.
Security forces subsequently launched an extensive search operation across forest areas surrounding the road. The operation involved a coordinated deployment of police operatives, members of the Oyo State Amotekun Corps, personnel from Operation Burst, and other local security stakeholders. The teams carried out intensive bush-combing patrols aimed at locating the abducted passengers and confronting the kidnappers.
Authorities said the sustained security pressure inside the forests eventually forced the kidnappers to abandon their captives. After several hours of coordinated operations, the four victims were recovered alive and unharmed and safely evacuated from the bush. Police confirmed that the rescued passengers had since been reunited with their families following the successful operation.
Police spokesperson DSP Ayanlade Olayinka stated that the rescue demonstrated the importance of cooperation among multiple security agencies in combating violent crime across the state. He said the swift response and coordination among security formations were crucial in preventing the criminals from moving the victims deeper into remote hideouts where rescue efforts would have been significantly more difficult.
Despite the successful rescue, security authorities confirmed that the suspects responsible for the abduction escaped during the operation. Police units have continued intelligence-driven operations and patrols across the forests and surrounding communities in an effort to identify and apprehend the fleeing attackers.
The attack has renewed concerns about the security of highways across Nigeria, particularly in rural regions where armed gangs frequently target travellers for kidnapping. Criminal groups often exploit isolated roads and forested terrain to carry out ambushes, abducting victims and transporting them to camps where ransom demands are later made to families.
Local sources in the Oke-Ogun region say communities around the Igbeti–Kishi corridor have recently expressed alarm over increasing criminal activity linked to bandits believed to be operating within nearby forest reserves. The Old Oyo Forest Reserve and surrounding bushlands have reportedly been identified by security stakeholders as potential hideouts used by criminal groups moving across state boundaries.
Earlier discussions among community leaders and security officials had warned that the forest corridor between Oyo and Kwara states could pose a growing threat if criminal gangs continued to exploit the terrain for kidnappings and other violent attacks. These warnings prompted calls for stronger patrols and coordinated security operations to prevent the area from becoming a major base for armed groups.
The Oyo State Police Command has urged residents and road users to remain vigilant and to report suspicious movements to security agencies. Authorities say community cooperation remains critical for gathering intelligence that can help security forces prevent further attacks and dismantle kidnapping networks operating in the region.
Police officials also emphasized that operations to capture the suspects involved in the Igbeti–Kishi abduction remain ongoing. Security teams are continuing patrols and surveillance in the surrounding forests as part of efforts to locate the criminals and ensure they face prosecution.
The incident highlights both the persistent threat of rural highway kidnappings in parts of Nigeria and the role of rapid multi-agency responses in disrupting criminal operations before victims can be moved into deeper captivity.
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