By Adeyinka Adeniran
Operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have rescued a 15-year-old abducted boy, Sumaila Muhammadu, following a fierce gun duel along the Awe–Iwo Road axis of the state, during which a suspected kidnapper was neutralised while several others escaped into the bush with gunshot injuries.
The operation was executed by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section (AKS) in close collaboration with members of the Oyo Zone Vigilante Group of Nigeria, following credible intelligence gathered on October 22, 2026, regarding a ransom demand made by the syndicate.
Muhammadu had been abducted six days earlier, on October 18, 2026, from the Onidundun area of Akinyele Local Government Area.
Following the intelligence, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, personally ordered the tactical teams to move into the creek and secure the teenager’s unconditional release.
The security operatives subsequently tracked the suspects to their hideout around the Pipeline, Ajagba axis along the Awe–Iwo Road.
Upon sighting the advancing joint security team at about 9:30 pm, the gunmen opened fire, triggering a heavy exchange of gunfire.
In the ensuing shootout, the joint team successfully overpowered the gang, rescuing the 15-year-old victim unharmed and gunning down one of the abductors.
Other members of the criminal gang fled the scene in different directions into the dense forest, carrying varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
Items recovered from the scene after the gun fight included one Android mobile phone and a cutlass, which have been taken into custody as exhibits to aid ongoing investigations.
Confirming the development in a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, Ayanlade Olayinka, stated that the neutralised suspect was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was certified dead by a medical doctor, adding that his corpse has since been deposited in the morgue.
Olayinka said, “The operation followed credible intelligence received by the Command on 22nd October 2026, indicating that suspected kidnappers were demanding ransom for the release of a victim abducted from the Onidundun area of Akinyele Local Government Area.
“Upon receipt of the intelligence, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section (AKS), working in close collaboration with Oyo Zone Vigilante Group of Nigeria, to move against the suspects and secure the victim’s release.
“At about 2130 hours, the operation resulted in a gun duel after the suspected kidnappers opened fire upon sighting the advancing security team.
“Despite the attack, the operatives successfully rescued the victim while one yet-to-be-identified suspected kidnapper was neutralised, and others fled in different directions with gunshot injuries,” the police spokesperson added.
DSP Olayinka further appealed to residents of Awe, Iwo Road, Ajagba, and surrounding communities to be on high alert and report individuals seen with untreated or suspicious gunshot wounds to the nearest police station.
He also issued a stern advisory to medical practitioners, hospital administrators, and healthcare workers across the state, warning them against treating victims of gunshot wounds without immediately notifying the police authorities.
“Medical practitioners, hospital administrators, and other healthcare workers are urged to promptly notify the Police of anyone seeking treatment for gunshot injuries suspected to be connected with this incident,” Olayinka stressed, assuring the public that any credible information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality.
Reiterating the command’s determination to rid the state of violent crimes, CP Olugbenga assured residents that intelligence-led operations and strategic synergy with local vigilantes and security stakeholders would be intensified to completely dismantle kidnapping rings across Oyo State.
