Police dismiss banditry claims, say incident was an isolated criminal attack as security operatives intensify manhunt for fleeing suspects.
The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the death of five persons, including a soldier and a local hunter, following a deadly attack at a private dredging site in Magbon Etido, Mowé, located in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, described the incident as an isolated criminal attack and not a bandit operation, contrary to reports circulating in some quarters.
According to the police, the attackers abducted four persons during the assault. Security operatives, working alongside military personnel and other stakeholders, immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation, leading to the rescue of one victim. However, the bodies of the remaining three abducted persons were later recovered.
The command also confirmed that a soldier on security duty was killed during the attack, while another sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment. A local hunter assisting security operatives during the bush-combing exercise also lost his life in an encounter with the fleeing criminals.
Babaseyi disclosed that sustained pressure from the joint security team led to the neutralisation of one suspect, while efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the gang.
He stressed that preliminary investigations have not linked the attack to banditry activities, assuring residents that the situation is under control and that security presence has been reinforced in the area.
The police urged members of the public to remain calm and continue providing useful information that could assist ongoing investigations and security operations.