Nigerian troops, working alongside police personnel, have foiled an attempted kidnapping of Chinese expatriates in southwest Ogun State, following a deadly confrontation with suspected armed kidnappers.
The incident occurred on Monday , 8th, June in Magbon Village, located in the Mowe axis of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, where expatriate workers were reportedly operating at a dredging site.
According to a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 35 Artillery Brigade, Major Idereghi Samuel Akari, troops of the 35 Artillery Brigade and officers of the Nigerian Police, while on a joint patrol, responded to a distress call when they came under ambush by armed men suspected to be kidnappers.
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A gun battle reportedly ensued between the security operatives and the attackers, during which one suspected kidnapper was killed.
The military said the assailants abandoned their initial mission and retreated through nearby forest areas towards the Ogun River, allegedly taking five individuals hostage as human shields while attempting to evade a reinforcement team deployed to the area.
Authorities disclosed that four of the hostages were later killed by the fleeing gunmen before they escaped through a river channel using a boat.
“One of the hostages who escaped narrated that the attackers evacuated the body of their dead colleague during the escape,” the statement said.
The operation, however, recorded casualties among security personnel. A soldier was killed during the exchange, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment.
The body of the slain soldier, alongside the recovered bodies of the victims, have been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Sagamu.
Security agencies have since intensified patrols and surveillance in the affected area to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
The Nigerian military reaffirmed its commitment to working with other security agencies to combat criminal activities and improve safety across the country.
