Police in Ogun State have rescued 10 passengers whom gunmen abducted from a commercial bus, and officers killed one suspected kidnapper during a follow-up raid. The Ogun State Police Command, working with the Department of State Services (DSS), confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Gunmen seized the passengers at Orita Fufu, Awa-Ijebu, in Ijebu North-East Local Government Area, on November 3. The victims regained their freedom unharmed at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, after four days in captivity. Consequently, relatives who spent the week in fear finally received the news they had prayed for.
Command spokesman DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi credited the rescue to “sustained security pressure and intelligence-led efforts” by the command’s operatives. Moreover, he said the collaboration with the DSS strengthened the operation and helped officers locate the gang.
The police did not stop at the rescue. At about 1:00 a.m. on November 8, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed the suspects’ hideout along the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road. A gun battle followed. Officers neutralised one suspected kidnapper, while other members of the gang reportedly fled with suspected gunshot wounds.
Furthermore, the operatives recovered an AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of ammunition, ₦1,376,800 in cash and a mobile phone from the hideout. Detectives will likely examine the phone for leads on the fleeing suspects and any wider network behind the abduction.
Babaseyi said the command has intensified efforts to track down and arrest the gang members who escaped. He also urged residents to report anyone seen with suspicious gunshot wounds to the nearest police station or through established police communication channels. In addition, he reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and asked residents to cooperate in the effort to rid Ogun of criminal elements.
Earlier reports shed light on how the ordeal began. According to those accounts, gunmen intercepted the bus shortly after it passed through Ijebu-Ode and took the victims into a nearby forest. The passengers included a recently discharged member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Meanwhile, a relative of one victim told reporters that the kidnappers called the family on a victim’s phone. They first demanded a ransom of ₦20 million, then raised it to ₦25 million.
The relative also said police recovered the bus and the passengers’ belongings and took them to the station, although the victims stayed in captivity. A senior police source confirmed the abduction at the time but spoke anonymously and gave no details about the rescue effort. The police statement, as reported, did not address the ransom demand.
This rescue adds to a string of recent operations in the state. Earlier this year, the same command rescued five Gateway Polytechnic students whom armed men abducted in Sapade, in Remo North Local Government Area, after a coordinated, intelligence-led operation. Nevertheless, kidnappings on Ogun’s highways continue to worry commuters, who often travel long distances through isolated stretches.
For now, the freed passengers can return to their families, and police say the hunt for the wounded suspects continues. Residents who have useful information should contact the nearest police station without delay. Soj World News will update this report as further details emerge.
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