Abiodun Declares Ogun Unsafe for Kidnappers as Security Forces Rescue Abducted Gateway ICT Polytechnic Students
ABEOKUTA — Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has declared that there will be no safe haven for kidnappers and other criminal elements in the state following the successful rescue of seven abducted students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade.
The students, who were kidnapped earlier this week in Remo North Local Government Area, were rescued in the early hours of Thursday during a coordinated security operation involving the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Ogun State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), local vigilantes, and hunters.
Addressing journalists at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, alongside security chiefs and some of the rescued students, Governor Abiodun described the operation as a major breakthrough in the state’s fight against kidnapping and violent crime.
“I am pleased to inform the good people of Ogun State that in the early hours of today, Thursday, August 6, 2026, the combined security operation successfully rescued all seven victims alive,” the governor said.
He disclosed that one of the rescued students sustained a gunshot injury during the incident but was immediately evacuated for medical treatment and has since been stabilised.
Governor Abiodun stated that security agencies have continued their operations to apprehend other members of the criminal gang still at large, stressing that Ogun State would remain hostile to criminality while ensuring the safety of residents, businesses, and investors.
The governor also revealed that the operation received a major boost after the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Olatunji Disu, approved the deployment of a police helicopter for aerial surveillance, a move he said significantly enhanced the success of the rescue mission.
He noted that recent joint security operations, particularly Operation Kò S’Áyé, have continued to demonstrate the effectiveness of intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration, and sustained operational pressure against criminal elements across the state.
Governor Abiodun commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising national security through increased investment in the operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
According to him, the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms, including improved intelligence coordination, acquisition of modern security assets, and enhanced welfare for security personnel, have strengthened Nigeria’s security architecture.
He also referenced the recent rescue of 308 kidnapped victims across the country as evidence of the growing effectiveness of coordinated security operations nationwide.
The governor expressed appreciation to traditional rulers, community leaders, the management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, the victims’ families, and residents for their cooperation and support throughout the rescue operation.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in security infrastructure and logistics to enable security agencies to effectively protect lives and property across Ogun State.
Speaking during the briefing, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bode Ojajuni, disclosed that no ransom was paid for the students’ release, stressing that the rescue was achieved entirely through the efforts of security operatives.
The police commissioner further revealed that two suspected kidnappers had been arrested and were already providing useful information to investigators, while security agencies had intensified the manhunt for other fleeing members of the gang.
