Five killed, four abducted as gunmen attack Ogun dredging site

At least five people, including a soldier and a local hunter, lost their lives after heavily armed criminals attacked a private dredging site in Magbon Etido, Mowe area of Ogun State, triggering a major security operation by law enforcement agencies.

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident and disclosed that four persons were abducted during the attack. While one of the kidnapped victims was successfully rescued alive by security operatives, the bodies of the remaining three abductees were later recovered.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the police dismissed reports suggesting that the attack was linked to banditry, stressing that preliminary investigations point to an isolated criminal operation rather than an organised bandit network.

According to the command, the attackers invaded the dredging site and engaged security personnel stationed at the facility in a gun battle. During the confrontation, a soldier attached to the security team was killed, while another sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.

Following a distress call, a joint security team comprising police operatives, military personnel and other security agencies launched an extensive search-and-rescue operation aimed at tracking down the perpetrators and securing the release of the kidnapped victims.

The coordinated operation resulted in the rescue of one of the abductees. However, hopes of rescuing the remaining victims were dashed when their bodies were later discovered in the area, indicating that they had been killed by their captors.

READ ALSO: Gunmen strike again in Ondo, abduct nine-year-old boy, destroy many homes

The police also revealed that a local hunter who joined security forces in combing nearby forests and bushes for the fleeing suspects was killed during an encounter with the criminals.

Security operatives intensified pressure on the attackers during the operation, leading to the neutralisation of one of the suspects. Authorities said efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the gang and bring them to justice.

Speaking on the development, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, maintained that investigations conducted so far had not established any link between the incident and banditry activities, contrary to speculation circulating in some quarters.

“The incident remains an isolated criminal attack,” the police spokesman stated, noting that tactical operations and intelligence-driven investigations were continuing to identify and apprehend all those involved.

The command assured residents of Mowe and neighbouring communities that the security situation had been stabilised, adding that additional security personnel had been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks and reassure residents.

Police authorities also praised the collaboration between the police, military and other security stakeholders, describing the joint response as instrumental in containing the situation and rescuing one of the abducted victims.