Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday declared that kidnappers and other criminal elements would have no hiding place in the state following the rescue of the seven students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, in Remo North Local Government Area, who were abducted earlier this week.
The governor, who addressed journalists at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, alongside security chiefs and some of the rescued students, said the successful operation underscored his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Abiodun said the students were rescued during a coordinated operation involving the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Ogun State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), local vigilantes and hunters. He announced that in the early hours of Thursday, August 6, 2026, the combined security operation successfully rescued all seven victims alive, noting that one of them sustained a gunshot injury during the incident and was immediately evacuated for medical attention before being stabilised. He said the operation was still ongoing, assuring residents that security agencies remained on the trail of everyone connected to the criminal enterprise.
The governor disclosed that the operation received a major boost after the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, approved the deployment of a police helicopter for aerial surveillance, which he said played a crucial role in the rescue. He said Ogun State’s resolve was clear, that the state would remain hostile to criminality and safe for every law-abiding citizen, resident and investor.
He added that security agencies had intensified efforts to arrest other members of the gang who remained at large. According to him, recent joint security operations, particularly Operation Kò S’Áyé, had demonstrated the benefits of intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration and sustained pressure on criminal elements.
The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising the fight against banditry, terrorism and kidnapping, saying sustained investment in the operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies had strengthened the country’s security architecture. He acknowledged what he described as the purposeful leadership of the President, whose administration had placed the restoration of peace and security at the centre of Nigeria’s development agenda through sustained investment in the Armed Forces and other security agencies, adding that strengthened intelligence coordination, the acquisition of modern security assets and deliberate reforms had continued to deepen inter-agency collaboration.
Abiodun also noted that the recent salary increase approved for military personnel would boost their welfare and morale, while coordinated security operations across the country had continued to restore public confidence and improve national security.
He expressed appreciation to traditional rulers, community leaders, the families of the victims, the students and the management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic for their cooperation throughout the rescue operation. The governor assured residents that his administration would continue to invest in security infrastructure and provide logistical support to security agencies to safeguard lives and property.
Speaking during the briefing, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, said no ransom was paid to secure the students’ release, adding that they regained their freedom solely through the efforts of security operatives. Ojajuni disclosed that two suspected kidnappers had been arrested and were providing useful information to investigators, while security agencies had intensified the manhunt for other members of the gang still on the run.
