A soldier has been killed and another injured after suspected kidnappers attacked a community in the Magbon-Etido area of Mowe, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, reportedly happened during an attempted abduction of a prominent resident in the area.
Sources familiar with the development told our correspondent that the gunmen stormed the community and attempted to whisk away their target before security operatives intervened.
The ensuing confrontation led to an exchange of gunfire between the kidnappers and security personnel, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuries to another.
Residents were thrown into panic following the attack, with reports and videos circulating on social media claiming that bandits had invaded the community and killed military personnel.
One of the videos seen by our correspondent showed a vehicle conveying what appeared to be the body of a blood-soaked soldier alongside several occupants.
In the footage, a voice could be heard lamenting in Yoruba that a soldier had been killed.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said the kidnappers arrived in a coordinated operation and attempted to abduct a man believed to be their target.
“The information available to us is that the suspects came to kidnap someone in the community. Soldiers attached to the area moved in to stop them, and during the gun battle, one soldier was killed while another sustained gunshot injuries,” the source said.
Another community member gave a similar account, explaining that the security operatives were trying to prevent the abduction when they came under attack.
According to the resident, the kidnappers opened fire on the soldiers during the rescue attempt, leading to casualties among the security personnel.
A security source also confirmed the incident, noting that one operative lost his life while another was receiving medical attention.
The source, however, dismissed claims that the attackers were bandits, stressing that the incident was a criminal kidnapping operation rather than a bandit invasion.
“One security operative was killed, and another was injured. Security agencies are already handling the situation. It is not a bandit attack as some people have claimed,” the source stated.
Meanwhile, a voice message that circulated widely on social media and was attributed to Jimoh Owolabi, who identified himself as the Chairman of the Ajumoni Progressive Area Community Development Council, urged residents not to spread false information about bandits operating in the area.
According to him, the attack was linked to an attempted kidnapping involving a sand miner popularly known as “Kapo.”
He claimed that one of the security personnel attached to the businessman was killed while another was wounded during the attack.
“There are no bandits in Magbon. The incident involved kidnappers who targeted a sand miner known as Kapo. During the attack, one of his security personnel was killed, and another was injured. Security agencies, including the police and the military, are already on ground,” he reportedly said in Yoruba.
Efforts to independently verify Owolabi’s identity and claims were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
When contacted, the spokesman for the 35 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Major Samuel Idereghi, said an official statement on the incident would be released by the military.
However, no statement had been issued as of Monday night.
The Ogun State Police Command later confirmed the incident, describing it as a criminal attack unrelated to banditry.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola’s office through the command’s spokesperson, Omolola Babaseyi, the police disclosed that one soldier died in the attack while another sustained injuries and was receiving treatment.
The command said police operatives and military personnel had launched a joint operation to track down and arrest those responsible.
“Following the report, police operatives, working in collaboration with the military, were immediately deployed to the area and have commenced coordinated operations aimed at apprehending the perpetrators,” the statement said.
The police added that preliminary investigations had not established any link between the attack and bandit activities in Ogun State.
According to the command, ongoing investigations and tactical operations are focused on identifying the suspects and preventing similar incidents.
Residents were also assured that the situation had been brought under control, with additional security personnel deployed to strengthen surveillance and maintain public safety in the affected community.
The latest attack has renewed concerns over kidnapping and violent crimes in parts of Ogun State, particularly in communities located along major transport corridors connecting the state to neighbouring Lagos.
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