The Ogun State Police Command has rescued five students of Gateway Polytechnic who were abducted in Sapade area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, disclosed this during a press briefing held at the command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
According to him, the incident happened on April 27, 2026, at about 10:55 p.m., when the Ipara Police Division received a distress call about a suspected kidnapping. He said a patrol team was quickly sent to the scene, where an ash-coloured Toyota vehicle with bullet holes and blood stains was found abandoned.
The police boss explained that mobile phones and other personal items recovered from the vehicle, including a student identity card, confirmed that the victims were students of Gateway Polytechnic. This led to the immediate launch of a full rescue operation.
Ojajuni said several tactical units of the command, including SWAT, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, and the Quick Response Squad, were deployed to search for the victims.
He added that on April 28, the joint teams carried out intensive bush-combing and tracking operations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Fidiwo area in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area.
“The sustained pressure from our operatives led to the successful rescue of the five victims,” he said.
The commissioner noted that the victims were given first aid and later taken to the Police Hospital in Abeokuta, where they received medical treatment. He confirmed that they are in stable condition.
He also revealed that the kidnappers engaged the police in a gun battle but were overpowered and forced to flee, likely with gunshot injuries. No police officer was injured during the operation.
Ojajuni praised the officers involved for their bravery and professionalism, adding that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.
The rescued students have since been handed over to the management of Gateway Polytechnic.
