The Kwara State Police Command has narrated how 13 kidnapping victims were rescued in a joint operation involving the police and the personnel of the Oke-Ero local government security initiative.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on Saturday, she said that the suspected kidnappers engaged the operatives in a fierce gun battle at the suspects’ hideout located in the Idofin-Igbana area.
The statement also said that the kidnappers, numbering six, dressed in military uniforms to disguise their actions.
“Upon sighting the security team, the kidnappers, six in number and some dressed to disguise in military uniforms engaged the operatives in a gun battle but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the rescue team.”
The PPRO also said that the suspects fled the scene with various degrees of injuries while abandoning their captives in the process.
She said that the rescued victims included three females and 10 males from various locations, including Odo-Owa in the Oke-Ero local government area of the state, adding that other victims were from Ilorin, Ogbomoso, as well as a group of trailer drivers en route to Kogi State.
The statement, which said that two of the kidnapping victims sustained minor gunshot injuries, added that all the victims were immediately provided with medical care at a nearby hospital, stabilised, and subsequently reunited with their families.
The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Victor Olaiya, commended the resilience and swift response of the operatives and expressed gratitude to the local communities for the timely provision of credible information.
The CP also assured members of the public of the command’s commitment to sustaining the fight against criminality in all forms.
“Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency hotlines, 07032069501 or 08125275046.
“Together, we can ensure the continued safety of our communities,” the statement said.
It was recalled that five wedding guests were abducted by gunmen at the Obbo-Ayegunle area of the Ekiti local government area of Kwara State along with some other eight persons while returning to their Odo-Owa residence from a wedding ceremony in Ope town, Kogi State, last Monday.
The kidnapping victims were said to include Oloye Oyewole Abolarin, the head of hunters in Odo-Owa, his wife Funmilayo Abolarin, Tunde Oladipo and his wife, and a woman identified as Bose, all from Agbele Igbede compound in Odo-Owa town.
It was also learnt that the suspected kidnappers had contacted the families of their victims, demanding a ₦100 million ransom for their release.
In response, relatives and community members had started pooling funds to meet the demand, while also urging Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and security agencies to intervene.
The police statement reads: The Kwara State Police Command has achieved yet another remarkable success in its fight against criminal activities with the rescue of 13 kidnapped victims following a distress call on December 21, 2024.
The victims, who were forcefully abducted by armed assailants on their way to a wedding programme in Kogi State, were rescued in a joint operation involving the police and the Oke-Ero local government Security Initiative personnel.
Acting on credible intelligence and with the support of local informants, the security operatives swiftly mobilised to the suspects’ hideout located in the Idofin-Igbana area.
Upon sighting the security team, the kidnappers, six in number and some dressed disguised in military uniforms, engaged the operatives in a gun battle but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the rescue team.
The suspects fled the scene with various degrees of injuries, abandoning their captives in the process.
The rescued victims included three females and 10 males from various locations, including Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero LGA, Ilorin, Ogbomoso, and a group of trailer drivers en route to Kogi State.
While two victims sustained minor gunshot injuries, all victims were immediately provided with medical care at a nearby hospital, stabilised, and subsequently reunited with their families.
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