The police command in Ogun says it has rescued five students of the Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade, whom gunmen kidnapped in the Saapade area.

The police spokesman in Ogun, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Babaseyi said the incident occurred on Monday at 10:55 p.m., when the Ipara Divisional Headquarters received a distress report of a suspected kidnapping.

“Acting promptly, a patrol team was deployed to the scene where an ash-coloured Toyota vehicle was discovered abandoned.

“The vehicle had visible bullet impacts and blood stains, while mobile phones and other personal belongings were recovered from within,” he said.

According to him, further examination of the scene revealed an identity card belonging to a student of Gateway Polytechnic, confirming that the vehicle’s occupants were students.

He said the development led to the immediate escalation of the incident and the activation of a full-scale rescue operation.

Mr Babaseyi said the commissioner of police in the state, Bode Ojajuni, subsequently ordered the deployment of tactical units and an intelligence-led operation to rescue the victims.

He said operatives from the Isara area command of the Ipara Division, SWAT, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit, Quick Response Squad and OP MESA were mobilised for coordinated bush-combing and tracking operations.

“The sustained operational pressure led to the successful rescue of the five victims on Tuesday. They were immediately evacuated, debriefed and taken for medical attention due to conditions sustained while in captivity,” he said.

Mr Babaseyi added that the kidnappers engaged the operatives in a gun duel during the operation, but were overpowered and fled with suspected gunshot wounds.

(NAN)