Ibadan: Gunmen Abduct 12-Year-Old Schoolgirl in Commando-Style Attack

The Oyo State Police Command has launched an investigation following the abduction of a 12-year-old schoolgirl in the Challenge area of Ibadan, describing the incident as a suspected kidnapping. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to secure the child’s safe return.

The victim, a Junior Secondary School 2 pupil at Monarch Model College, was reportedly taken early Thursday morning while being dropped off at school.

Eyewitnesses reported that masked gunmen in an unmarked vehicle trailed the girl’s mother before confronting her near a junction close to the school. The assailants fired shots into the air to disperse residents and punctured the tyre of the mother’s Toyota RAV4 (Lagos registration KRD 350 GP). Despite resistance, the gunmen forcibly took the student and fled through the Challenge area.

The abduction was immediately reported at Orita Challenge Police Station. Officers visited the scene with the girl’s mother to conduct a preliminary assessment.

Confirming the case, Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Olusola Olayinka Ayanlade said:

> “Preliminary information indicates that at about 7:20 a.m., a 12-year-old female student of a private secondary school in the area was allegedly abducted by unknown armed men at a junction leading to the school premises as she was alighting from a vehicle that conveyed her to school.”

Police detectives have been deployed to the area, and eyewitnesses are being questioned to provide leads. The child’s parents are cooperating closely with law enforcement.

Police Commissioner CP Femi Haruna has directed a comprehensive, intelligence-driven investigation to ensure the girl’s safe release and bring the perpetrators to justice. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and provide any useful information, assuring that tips will be treated confidentially.

Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.