Nigeria: Police Rescue 10 Passengers After Gun Battle With Suspected Kidnappers

What the report says

Police in Ogun State, southwestern Nigeria, said they rescued 10 passengers who had been abducted last Tuesday while travelling on the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road. The account, published by Leadership and distributed by AllAfrica, says the victims were taken from a commercial bus around the Orita Fufu area of Awa-Ijebu in Ijebu North East local government area.

According to the police statement cited in the report, officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit located a suspected hideout along the same highway in the early hours of 8 November and exchanged gunfire with the kidnappers. The clash led to the death of one suspect, while others reportedly escaped with possible gunshot wounds. The rescued passengers were said to have been freed around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, following sustained pressure and intelligence-led operations.

Police said they recovered an AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of ammunition, cash totaling ₦1,376,800 and a mobile phone from the scene. The command said it is still pursuing the fleeing suspects and urged members of the public to report anyone seen with suspicious injuries. The incident underscores the continuing security concerns around highway kidnappings in parts of southern Nigeria, where police often rely on intelligence-led raids and follow-up searches to track armed groups.