By Gloria Attah
Three suspected kidnappers have been killed during a gun duel with operatives of the Oyo State Police Command and local hunters in Otu, Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, while a 50-year-old abducted man, Mosudi Gbolagade, was rescued from captivity.
The Oyo State Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade.
According to the police, the operation followed a distress call received on Monday, May 25, 2026, from local hunters who were on a hunting expedition in Otu and reportedly came under attack from suspected kidnappers.
The command said a joint response team comprising police operatives, local hunters, and other security agencies was immediately mobilised to the area.
“Upon arrival, the hoodlums opened fire and engaged the security team in a gun duel. However, through superior tactical response and coordinated effort, the criminals were successfully overpowered, leading to the neutralisation of three suspected kidnappers,” the statement said.
The police added that the operation also led to the rescue of Gbolagade, who had earlier been kidnapped at Okaka in Itesiwaju Local Government Area and held captive within the Otu community.
The victim reportedly sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange of fire and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Security operatives also recovered one AK-47 rifle without ammunition, one single-barrel gun, and a machete from the scene.
The command, however, disclosed that one of the local hunters involved in the operation sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The police noted that the latest operation was part of ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
The command recalled that four passengers abducted along the Igbeti–Kishi Road in Irepo Local Government Area in March 2026 were also rescued during previous security operations in the state.
The passengers were reportedly kidnapped after armed men emerged from a nearby bush and intercepted a commercial bus travelling from Igbeti to Kishi.
The latest incident comes amid growing security concerns in parts of Oyo State following recent coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area, where teachers and students were abducted by gunmen.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Olugbemiga Abimbola, commended the bravery of the police operatives, local hunters, and other security stakeholders involved in the operation.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive operations against criminal elements and urged residents to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies.
