Ogun residents on edge after Ijebu Ode kidnapping, cross-border attack fears

Residents of Ogun State are gripped by growing anxiety following a recent abduction in Ijebu Ode and rising concerns that criminal gangs operating along border routes with Oyo State could launch further attacks, especially after the recent school kidnap in Oyo.

The latest incident occurred at Ipojo Golden Estate in Oke Eri, Ijebu Ode, when about 15 heavily armed men stormed a family residence around 7 p.m., firing sporadically. Three members of a family were abducted, and a woman sustained gunshot wounds.

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the attack, with spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi stating that tactical and intelligence-led operations were activated to rescue the victims and track down the perpetrators.

Community leader Mr Kehinde described the incident as deeply disturbing, noting that residents had never imagined such an attack could occur in what was considered a peaceful and developed area.

The head of the Badewa family, Mr Yesiru Badewa, whose relatives were taken, said the family was devastated. He expressed particular concern for one of the abducted women who had been ill before the incident.

In a statement issued on Saturday, police disclosed that the victims regained their freedom unharmed around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday after an unspecified ransom was paid. Following their release, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad stormed a kidnappers’ hideout along the Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan Road axis on May 15 at about 5 a.m.

A gun duel ensued, leading to the neutralisation of two suspected kidnappers while others escaped with bullet wounds. Subsequent operations led to the arrest of the suspected kingpin, Seriki Mohammed Abdullahi, and another gang member, Mohammed Bello. The corpses of the neutralised suspects have been deposited at a morgue.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the operatives for their gallantry and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating violent crime.

However, the National Coordinator of the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign, John Eko, condemned the incessant abductions of residents, particularly farmers, across the Ijebu axis. The group accused security agencies of ineptitude and the state government of insensitivity, alleging that Ijebuland has become a safe haven for criminal gangs.

The group also claimed that the Ikangba/Agoro-Okun Owa axis of the Old Lagos-Benin Road in Odogbolu Local Government Area has become a kidnapping hotspot, citing multiple abductions since February 2026. According to the group, ransom payments reportedly ran into millions of naira.

The Ogun State Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Societies and Pro-Democracy Groups, Barrister Solomon Bankole, urged the government to act proactively, describing the recent school attack in Oyo as a serious wake-up call. He called for strengthened security around schools, border communities, and vulnerable areas.

Another resident, Adisa Adeleye, expressed concern over increasing kidnapper activity in border communities around Ogunmakin and neighbouring Oyo towns, noting that some victims are Ogun residents who work across the border.

The National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Mr Yinka Folarin, said Ogun has not done enough to empower local security outfits like So-Safe and Amotekun, citing inadequate funding and poor logistics.

Responding to the concerns, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Security, retired AIG Olusola Subair, said the government is aware of the upsurge in kidnapping and has given security agencies marching orders to deal decisively with the situation. He noted that police recently neutralised two suspects and arrested two others.

Police spokesperson Babaseyi added that the command has reinforced the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, intensified patrols, and strengthened the School Protection Squad under the Inspector-General’s Safe School Protection Initiative. He assured residents that there is no cause for panic, as adequate security measures remain in place.

Despite the assurances, residents insist that translating these plans into concrete action remains the immediate priority to dispel growing fears across the state.