Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Police have rescued a 15-year-old boy, Sumaila Muhammadu, from suspected kidnappers and neutralised one suspect during a security operation along the Awe-Iwo Road axis of Oyo State.
The operation followed intelligence that a criminal gang was demanding ransom for the release of the teenager, who was abducted from the Onidundun area of Akinyele Local Government Area on October 18, 2026.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the command received the intelligence on October 22 and immediately launched an operation to secure the victim’s release.
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, directed operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section to work with the Oyo Zone Vigilante Group of Nigeria to track down the suspects.
The security team subsequently moved to the Pipeline area of Ajagba, along the Awe-Iwo Road, where the suspected kidnappers were located.
Ayanlade said the operation led to a gun battle at about 9:30pm after the suspects opened fire on the advancing operatives. The officers rescued Muhammadu during the encounter, while one unidentified suspected kidnapper was neutralised.
“The operation followed credible intelligence received by the Command on October 22, 2026, at about 1700 hours, indicating that suspected kidnappers were demanding ransom for the release of a victim abducted from the Onidundun area of Akinyele Local Government Area on 18th October 2026,” the statement read.
The police spokesman added that the neutralised suspect was taken to a hospital, where a doctor confirmed him dead, before his body was deposited at a morgue.
Other members of the gang escaped during the exchange of gunfire and may have sustained gunshot injuries. Police recovered an Android mobile phone and a cutlass at the scene as part of the ongoing investigation.
The command urged residents around the Awe-Iwo Road corridor and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and report anyone seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot wounds who may be linked to the incident.
Medical practitioners, hospital administrators and other healthcare workers were also advised to notify the police of patients presenting with gunshot injuries suspected to be connected to the encounter.
The Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes through intelligence-led operations and cooperation with security stakeholders.
The command also appealed to residents to provide timely and credible information to help track down the fleeing suspects and dismantle criminal networks operating across Oyo State.
