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Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have killed a suspected kidnapping kingpin during an intelligence-led operation in the Orile-Ilugun forest axis along the Abeokuta–Ibadan Expressway, recovering an AK-47 rifle, live ammunition, ₦2 million cash, and mobile phones from the criminal hideout. The operation was carried out by officers attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in the early hours of Tuesday following intensified efforts to dismantle kidnapping gangs operating within the area. 
According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the raid followed the successful rescue of a kidnapping victim abducted on May 14, 2026, at Nufats Fuel Station in the Odeda area of Ogun State. The victim was released unharmed on May 18 after days in captivity, prompting security operatives to launch a fresh manhunt for members of the gang responsible for the abduction. Acting on intelligence, police operatives stormed the forest hideout at about 6 a.m., where the suspects reportedly opened fire on the officers, leading to a fierce gun battle. The police said the gang leader was neutralised during the exchange, while other members escaped deeper into the forest with gunshot wounds. 
Security operatives recovered one AK-47 rifle loaded with twenty rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, ₦2 million suspected to be ransom proceeds, and two mobile phones believed to belong to the gang. Police authorities confirmed that the corpse of the slain suspect had been deposited at a morgue for autopsy, while efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing members of the syndicate. Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni commended the officers involved in the operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating kidnapping and violent crimes across Ogun State. 
The latest breakthrough comes barely days after another major anti-kidnapping operation in Ogun State, where police operatives killed two suspected kidnappers and arrested alleged gang kingpin Seriki Mohammed Abdullahi alongside another suspect, Mohammed Bello. Authorities say the rising frequency of kidnapping attacks along major highways and forest corridors in Ogun has forced security agencies to intensify surveillance, tactical patrols, and intelligence-based operations across the state. Residents have also been urged to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities as concerns over insecurity continue to grow in parts of the South-West region. 
