Oyo Police Rescue 15-Year-Old Kidnap Victim, Suspected Kidnapper Killed

The Oyo State Police Command has rescued a 15-year-old boy abducted in Akinyele Local Government Area and killed a suspected kidnapper during a gun battle along the Awe–Iwo Road axis.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, October 25, 2026, saying other suspected members of the gang escaped and a manhunt had been launched to apprehend them.

According to the statement, the operation followed intelligence received by the command on October 22 that suspected kidnappers were demanding ransom for the release of a victim abducted from the Onidundun area of Akinyele LGA on October 18.

The Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, subsequently directed operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section to work with the Oyo Zone Vigilante Group of Nigeria to rescue the victim and arrest the suspects.

The security team tracked the suspects to the Pipeline, Ajagba axis along the Awe–Iwo Road, where a gun battle reportedly broke out at about 9:30 p.m. after the suspected kidnappers opened fire on the advancing operatives.

The police said the operation led to the successful rescue of the victim, identified as Sumaila Muhammadu, while one suspected kidnapper was neutralised. Other members of the gang reportedly fled with possible gunshot injuries.

The body of the deceased suspect was taken to a hospital, where a doctor confirmed his death, before it was deposited at a morgue.

The police added that an Android mobile phone and a cutlass were recovered during the operation as investigations continued.

The command has urged residents around the Awe–Iwo Road axis and neighbouring communities to report anyone suspected of seeking treatment for gunshot injuries linked to the incident.

Medical practitioners, hospital administrators and other healthcare workers were also advised to alert the police about patients presenting with suspicious gunshot wounds that may be connected to the encounter.