Ogun Police Free Kidnapped Gateway Polytechnic Students After Gun Battle

Five students of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, have been rescued by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command following their abduction by armed men on April 27.

The incident was reported at the Ipara Division around 11:55 p.m., prompting an immediate response from security operatives. On arrival at the scene, officers discovered an abandoned ash-coloured Toyota vehicle with bullet marks and traces of blood. Several personal items, including mobile phones, were recovered from the vehicle. An identity card found at the scene helped confirm that the victims were students of the institution.

Following the discovery, the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, ordered a coordinated rescue mission involving multiple tactical teams, including the SWAT unit, Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Violent Crime Response Unit, Quick Response Squad, OP MESA, and divisional operatives from Isara and Ipara.

Security personnel tracked suspected escape routes through surrounding forest areas in a sustained search operation that led to the rescue of all five victims on April 28.

Authorities said the students were immediately taken for medical evaluation after being freed, citing conditions they experienced while in captivity.

During the rescue operation, a confrontation occurred between police operatives and the abductors. The suspects reportedly engaged the teams in a gunfire exchange before retreating with suspected injuries. No police personnel were injured during the operation.

The police command described the mission as intelligence-led and coordinated, crediting the outcome to joint tactical efforts across units.

Search operations in the area are still ongoing as authorities work to locate and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Residents have been advised to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to security agencies through designated emergency contact lines.