The Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday announced the successful rescue of five abducted students of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade, following a coordinated intelligence-led operation involving multiple tactical units of the command.
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, where he also formally handed over the rescued students to the management of Gateway Polytechnic.
Ojajuni said the students were rescued less than 24 hours after they were abducted in the Sapade area of Ogun State.
According to the police commissioner, the incident occurred on April 27, 2026, at about 10:55 p.m. when officers at Ipara Division received a distress call reporting a suspected kidnapping in the area.
He explained that a patrol team was immediately dispatched to the scene, where officers discovered an ash-coloured Toyota vehicle abandoned with visible bullet holes and blood stains. Mobile phones and other personal belongings were also recovered from the vehicle.
Ojajuni said further investigation at the scene led to the discovery of an identity card belonging to one of the students of Gateway Polytechnic, confirming that the occupants of the vehicle were students of the institution.
He noted that the discovery prompted the immediate escalation of the incident and activation of a full-scale rescue operation.
The police commissioner said he subsequently ordered the rapid deployment of tactical units across the command, including operatives from Isara Area Command, Ipara Division, the Special Weapons and Tactics unit, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit, Quick Response Squad and OP MESA.
He said the combined team launched a coordinated operation on April 28 at about 3:00 p.m., carrying out sustained bush-combing and intelligence-led tracking along suspected escape routes, including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Fidiwo axis in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area.
Ojajuni said the sustained pressure mounted by the security operatives forced the abductors to abandon the victims and flee, leading to the successful rescue of all five students.
“The sustained operational pressure led to the successful rescue of the five victims,” he said.
He added that the students were immediately evacuated from the scene, debriefed and administered first aid before being moved to the Police Hospital in Abeokuta for medical attention.
“They are in stable condition,” Ojajuni said.
The police commissioner further revealed that the kidnappers engaged police operatives in a gun duel during the operation but were overpowered by superior firepower and forced to flee with suspected gunshot injuries.
He, however, confirmed that no casualty was recorded among police personnel involved in the operation.
Ojajuni commended the gallantry, professionalism and swift coordination of all tactical teams that participated in the rescue mission, describing the operation as a major success for intelligence-driven policing in the state.
He also assured residents that the command had intensified bush-combing operations to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
“We will not relent until all those involved in this criminal act are apprehended and brought to justice,” he said.
The police commissioner thereafter formally handed over the rescued students to the management of Gateway Polytechnic, while reassuring the public of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Ogun State.
