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At least six persons, including four hostages, a soldier and a local hunter, were killed during a failed kidnapping attempt targeting Chinese expatriates at Magbon community in the Mowe area of Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the incident on Tuesday, disclosing that one suspected kidnapper was also neutralised during a fierce gun battle with security operatives, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot injuries.
In a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Major Idereghi Akari, the Army said troops working alongside personnel of the Nigeria Police Force successfully foiled the abduction plot after responding to a distress call from a dredging site where Chinese expatriates were working.
According to the Army, the joint security team came under attack from heavily armed kidnappers shortly after arriving at the location, triggering an intense exchange of gunfire between both sides.
During the confrontation, one of the attackers was killed, forcing the remaining gang members to abandon their initial mission and flee through nearby forests towards the Ogun River.
The fleeing criminals reportedly seized five persons and used them as human shields while attempting to evade a Quick Response Force deployed to reinforce security personnel at the scene.
Major Akari disclosed that the kidnappers later murdered four of the captives before escaping through the river in a boat.
He added that one of the hostages managed to escape and later informed security operatives that the assailants took away the body of their slain accomplice during their escape.
“Troops of 35 Artillery Brigade, in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Police Force on joint patrol duty, foiled a kidnapping attempt targeting Chinese expatriates at Magbon Village in the Mowe area of Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State,” the statement said.
The Army spokesman noted that a soldier was killed during the operation, while another soldier and two police officers suffered gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility.
He further stated that the remains of the deceased soldier and the recovered bodies of the hostages had been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Sagamu.
Following the attack, security agencies have intensified surveillance and patrol operations across the area to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further security breaches.
Providing additional details, the spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said police operatives, in collaboration with the military and other security stakeholders, immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue mission after the attack.
Babaseyi confirmed that one abducted victim was rescued alive, while the bodies of three others were recovered during the operation.
He also revealed that a local hunter who joined security personnel in combing the surrounding forest was killed during an encounter with the fleeing kidnappers.
The police spokesman expressed condolences to the family of the deceased hunter and praised the efforts of security operatives involved in the rescue mission.
According to him, sustained pressure mounted by the joint security team resulted in the killing of one suspect, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the gang.
Babaseyi described the incident as an isolated criminal attack and assured residents that security agencies remain fully committed to safeguarding lives and property across the state.
