Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A coordinated security response to a kidnapping attempt at a private dredging site in the Magbon Etido community of Mowe, Ogun State, resulted in the death of a soldier, four abducted hostages, and a local hunter who was assisting in the rescue operation. The attack, which occurred on Monday, June 8, 2026, has been described by security agencies as an isolated criminal incident.
According to a statement by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations of the 35 Artillery Brigade, Major Idereghi Akari, troops of the brigade and personnel of the Nigerian Police Force were on a joint patrol when they received a distress call about an attempted abduction of expatriate workers at the dredging site.
Upon arrival, the joint security team was ambushed by heavily armed men suspected to be kidnappers. A fierce exchange of gunfire ensued, during which one of the attackers was neutralized. The remaining assailants, overwhelmed by the joint team's response, abandoned their mission and fled into the surrounding forest towards the Ogun River, taking five hostages as human shields to evade pursuit.
Tragically, the fleeing gunmen killed four of the captives before escaping through the river channel with a boat. One of the hostages managed to escape and later informed security operatives that the kidnappers had taken the body of their dead accomplice with them.
The Nigerian Army confirmed that a soldier lost his life during the fierce encounter, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving medical attention. The bodies of the slain soldier and the four recovered hostages have since been deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital in Sagamu.
In a related update, the Ogun State Police Command confirmed the grim details of the event. The spokesperson for the command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said police operatives, in collaboration with the military and other security stakeholders, immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation. He stated that four persons were abducted during the incident.
"One of the abducted victims was rescued, while the remains of the other three victims were later recovered," Babaseyi explained. He added that during a bush-combing exercise, a local hunter who was supporting the operation also lost his life in an encounter with the fleeing criminals. "The Command extends its condolences to his family," Babaseyi said.
The police spokesperson described the attack as an "isolated criminal attack and not a banditry operation," urging residents to remain calm and avoid panic. He confirmed that preliminary investigations had not established any link between the incident and widespread banditry activities in the state. A viral audio message from the Chairman of the Ajumoni Community Development Council, Mr. Jimoh Owolabi, also clarified that the attackers were kidnappers targeting a prominent sand miner, and not bandits as initially speculated.
Intensified surveillance, patrols, and pursuit operations have been launched to apprehend the remaining members of the gang and restore normalcy to the area.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com ✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments