Dramatic highway rescue
The Ogun and Lagos State Police Commands have successfully rescued five people abducted along the J3 axis of the Ijebu Ode–Ore Expressway. The tactical rescue occurred barely 25 hours after a distressed video surfaced on social media.
Operatives from the joint security task force, codenamed “Operation Kosaye”, a Yoruba phrase meaning “No Space”, vigorously combed the Ogbere forest to track down the criminals.
Before the rescue, the gunmen had already demanded ransoms ranging from ₦50 million to ₦70 million from the victims’ families.
Bandits neutralised in forest gunbattle
During the high-stakes rescue operation, a fierce gunfight ensued between security forces and the abductors. Police operatives successfully neutralised four kidnappers and arrested four others at the scene.
Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, confirmed the breakthrough during a press briefing at Iperu.
“Operation Kosaye moved in and rescued five victims, and in the course of the operation, we neutralized four kidnappers and arrested another four,” Ojajuni stated.
One female victim sustained gunshot wounds during the initial abduction, but authorities confirmed that her daughter and sister were among those safely liberated.
Massive crackdown on criminal hideouts
Beyond the immediate rescue, the massive joint exercise led to the arrest of 84 additional suspects, comprising 75 males and nine females. Security forces thoroughly cleared criminal shanties spanning from Ikeja down to the Kara bridge, the Isheri corridor, and the fringes of Ondo and Oyo states.
Furthermore, the police recovered a large cache of weapons. The seized items included AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, pistols, battleaxes, and cutlasses.
Restoring public confidence
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, assured the public that the security agencies have thoroughly dismantled the criminal networks.
“All the bushes have been combed both within Lagos and Ogun… this is a continuous exercise,” Fatai reiterated.
Both commissioners urged residents to remain calm and report any individuals seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot wounds. This decisive victory has successfully restored confidence among motorists using the busy highway corridor.
Watch video taken shortly after the bandits attack along Ijebu Ode – Ore Expressroad below:
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