A gang of suspected kidnappers got more than they actually bargained for as their kidnap-for-ransom in Ogun State turned out an ill-conceived venture.
Two of the five-member gang were felled, following the proactive measure of dispatching a combined tactical team of operatives by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, to go after the kidnappers, after reportedly whisking their victim away.
The team, comprising the command's Anti-kidnapping Unit, Anti-crime Section, Surveillance Team, Vigilante Group, So-Safe Corps, and local hunters, caught up with the kidnappers at a creek, during which the ensuing hot exchange of fire brought down the two casualties, while other members of the syndicate scampered into safety with a varying degree of bullet wounds.
In a statement issued by the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Omolola Odutola, it was disclosed that the armed men, on October 27, 2025, at about 10:14 pm, invaded a building in the Onipanu area of Otta, and calculatedly switched off a running generating set.
Their motive of luring the occupants out, to check what went wrong with the generator, paid off as the owner, one Alhaji Baki Hassan Atoyebi, and another resident stepped out, only to run into the assailants' ambush.
Alhaji Atoyebi, who apparently was their target, was reportedly abducted by the kidnappers, who also carted away a POS machine, ₦900,000.00 in cash, three mobile phones, a power bank, and keys to a Toyota Highlander and Corolla car.
"A few hours after the abduction, the kidnappers used the victim’s phone to contact the family, demanding a ransom of thirty million naira (₦30,000,000.00)," the PPRO disclosed.
According to the PPRO, "The joint team traced the hoodlums to their hideout along the creek. Two of the kidnappers were neutralized while others fled with gunshot injuries.
"The victim was rescued unhurt and has since reunited with his family. His mobile phones and vehicle keys were recovered from the scene," the statement added.
Meanwhile, CP Ogunlowo has commended the gallantry and synergy displayed by the combined security teams and assured members of the public that the command remained resolute in ensuring the safety of all residents.
He further reiterated that Ogun State will continue to be unsafe for criminal elements to operate in any form.