Metro
Kwara: Police Rescue 13 Hostages After Gun Battle With Kidnappers

Thirteen kidnap victims in Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara State have been rescued by the police.
Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, the spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, in a statement on Saturday, explained that policemen successfully rescued the kidnap victims following a distress call on December 21, 2024.
The statement said the victims were forcefully abducted by armed assailants on their way to a wedding programme in Kogi State, stressing that they were rescued in a joint operation involving the police and the Oke-Ero local government security initiative personnel.
READ ALSO: IDF Completes Raid On Northern Gaza Hospital, Arrests 240 Terror Suspects
Acting on credible intelligence and with the support of local informants, Ejire-Adeyemi stated that the security operatives swiftly mobilised to the suspects’ hideout located in the Idofin-Igbana area.
She said, “Upon sighting the security team, the kidnappers, six in number and some dressed to disguise in military uniforms, engaged the operatives in a gun battle but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the rescue team.
“The suspects fled the scene with various degrees of injuries, abandoning their captives in the process.”
READ ALSO: Hit-and-run Driver Kills Two On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The rescued victims, she added, included three females and 10 males from various locations, including Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero LGA, Ilorin, Ogbomoso in Oyo State and a group of trailer drivers en route Kogi State.
The PPRO explained that two victims sustained minor gunshot injuries. All the victims were immediately provided with medical care at a nearby hospital, stabilised, and subsequently reunited with their families.
The commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Victor Olaiya, commended the resilience and swift response of the operatives and expressed gratitude to the local communities for the timely provision of credible information.
He further assured the public of the Command’s commitment to sustaining the fight against criminality in all forms.
Metro
Ex-convict Arrested In Edo For Armed Robbery, Possession Of Firearm
The Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) has arrested a 45-year-old ex-convict, Owen Osas, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and suspected involvement in a robbery incident.
Osas was reportedly arrested with a cut-to-size single-barrel gun during a covert operation along Fishpond Road in Eyean, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area.
The arrest reportedly comes barely a year after he was released from prison, where he had served time for illegal possession of firearms and other criminal offences.
Osas, who confessed to the latest crime, also admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.
READ ALSO:Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo
Consequently, a victim of an alleged robbery incident, Reginia Izy, identified Osas as the person who robbed her a day before his arrest.
The victim narrated that the suspect had approached her residence around 8 p.m., pretending to be familiar before carrying out the attack.
The Deputy Commander Operations of ESSC, Richard Balogun, said the arrest was part of intensified efforts to rid Edo State of criminal elements.
READ ALSO:Edo South Senatorial Seat: Nothing Wrong Seeking Wike’s Support – Ogbeide-Ihama
Balogun explained that operatives conduct both overt patrols and covert operations to track and apprehend suspects.
He said, “Our men are always on patrol. Some operate in plain clothes as part of covert strategies, while others are stationed at strategic locations.
“Osas, who is a former convict, was arrested with firearms and he also confessed to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity.”
Metro
Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.
The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.
Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.
READ ALSO:Gunmen Abduct 60-year-old Trader In Oyo
Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.
Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.
Metro
Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo
A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.
READ ALSO:Senatorial Seat: Ogbakha-Edo Warns Against Imposition Of Candidates In Edo South
In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.
Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.
The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.
The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.
READ ALSO:Edo NLC Divided Over May Day Celebration
The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.
Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”
According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.
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