Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In a major breakthrough that underscores the intensifying offensive against kidnapping syndicates in the South‑West, the Ogun State Police Command has neutralized a suspected kidnapping kingpin and recovered one AK‑47 rifle loaded with twenty rounds of 5.6mm live ammunition, the sum of Two Million Naira (₦2,000,000), and two mobile phones during an intelligence‑led operation at a criminal hideout within the Orile Ilugun Forest axis along the Abeokuta–Ibadan Expressway. The operation, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday, May 19, 2026, followed the successful release of a kidnap victim who had been abducted five days earlier at Nufats Fuel Station along the same expressway in the Odeda area of Ogun State. The victim regained freedom unharmed on Monday, May 18, at about 8:30 p.m., and it was information gathered after that release that led operatives of the Anti‑Kidnapping Unit directly to the hideout of the criminal gang.
According to a press release issued on Tuesday, May 19, by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, DSP Oluseyi B. Babaseyi, the victim had been abducted on May 14, 2026, at Nufats Fuel Station along the busy Abeokuta–Ibadan Expressway, a corridor that has witnessed several highway kidnappings in recent months. The circumstances of the abduction were not detailed in the statement, but the fact that the victim was taken from a fuel station suggests a brazen daylight operation, typical of gangs that target travellers and commuters on major roads. After the victim was freed on the evening of May 18, the Anti‑Kidnapping Squad intensified intelligence‑driven efforts to track down members of the criminal gang responsible. Within less than twelve hours, actionable intelligence led the operatives to a hideout deep within the Orile Ilugun Forest, a dense and rugged area that has become a known haven for criminal elements operating along the expressway.
At approximately 6:00 a.m. on May 19, the operatives stormed the hideout. On sighting the police, the kidnappers immediately opened fire, triggering a fierce gun duel. The police team responded with superior tactical firepower, and in the exchange, the gang’s kingpin was neutralized. Other members of the syndicate fled deeper into the forest with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. The police have since launched a manhunt to apprehend the fleeing suspects. Recovered from the scene included the AK‑47 rifle, which was found loaded with twenty rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, a significant sum of Two Million Naira in cash believed to be part of ransom payments or proceeds from past operations, and two mobile phones, which are expected to provide critical intelligence on the gang’s network, including contacts, accomplices, and other victims.
The neutralized kingpin has been identified only as the leader of the syndicate, and his corpse has been deposited at a morgue for autopsy in line with standard procedure. The recovery of the AK‑47 rifle is particularly significant, as such high‑calibre weapons are not commonly found in the hands of ordinary criminals and suggest that the gang may have had links to larger arms trafficking networks or bandit groups operating across state lines. The twenty rounds of ammunition found still loaded in the rifle indicate that the kingpin was prepared for a prolonged firefight and had no intention of surrendering.
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, personally commended the gallantry, professionalism, and resilience displayed by the operatives during the operation. CP Ojajuni, who has led a sustained crackdown on kidnapping and violent crime since assuming office, reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes across Ogun State. The Commissioner also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious movements or criminal activities through the Ogun State Police Command’s emergency lines, which include the Gateway Shield toll‑free number 0800 000 9111, as well as several mobile emergency lines.
This operation comes less than 24 hours after a similar breakthrough by the Delta State Police Command, which neutralised a suspected kidnapper and recovered an AK‑47 rifle in the Ubulu‑Okiti forest axis on May 18. The back‑to‑back successes in neighbouring states suggest a coordinated intensification of anti‑kidnapping operations across the South‑South and South‑West geopolitical zones, where forested corridors along major highways have become favoured routes for abduction syndicates. In Ogun State, the Abeokuta–Ibadan Expressway has been a particular hotspot, with several reported incidents of travellers being dragged from vehicles or fuel stations and taken into the surrounding forests. The neutralisation of the kingpin in the Orile Ilugun Forest is expected to deal a significant blow to the operational capacity of that particular syndicate, though police acknowledge that other cells may still be active.
The recovery of Two Million Naira in cash raises questions about whether the victim’s family paid a ransom to secure her release. The police statement did not disclose whether any ransom was demanded or paid, and the money recovered from the hideout could represent either a recent payment or accumulated proceeds from multiple abductions. The two mobile phones recovered will be subjected to forensic analysis, which may reveal communication with other gang members, potential collaborators within local communities, and even other victims who have not yet been reported.
Residents of Odeda and surrounding communities have expressed relief at the news of the operation, though many remain cautious. The Orile Ilugun Forest has long been a source of fear for farmers and travellers, and the fact that a kidnapping kingpin was operating from a hideout within the forest confirms suspicions that criminal networks have established semi‑permanent bases in the area. The police have assured the public that efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects are ongoing, and that security patrols along the Abeokuta–Ibadan Expressway will be intensified in the coming days.
As the manhunt continues, the Ogun State Police Command has again urged citizens to make use of the provided emergency numbers and to avoid taking security matters into their own hands. The neutralisation of the kingpin, while a significant victory, is only one battle in a longer war against kidnapping. The recovery of the AK‑47, the ammunition, the cash, and the phones represents a substantial seizure, but the fleeing accomplices, some carrying gunshot wounds, remain at large and may attempt to regroup. For now, however, the police can claim a decisive win: one less kingpin terrorising the roads of Ogun State.
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