‘Police arrived four hours after we called them’ – residents of Ogun community attacked by bandits

It allegedly took the police about four hours to arrive at the scene of the attempted abduction of workers at a dredging site in Magbon-Etido area of Mowe, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday, June 8, 2026.

This was alleged by a resident spoken to by the Punch on the heels of the tragic attack by gunmen in which six people lost their lives.

An abductee who escaped from the gunmen after they came under attack from local hunters also alleged that the assailants were Fulani bandits, contrary to the claims by authorities that it had nothing to do with banditry.

It would be recalled that the armed men stormed Fowowawo, Ajerogun and Magbon-Etido area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State in an attempt to kidnap workers at a dredging site.

Soldiers engaged the bandits

Information emerging from eyewitnesses and other residents indicated that the resistance to the bandits came from the two soldiers stationed at the mining site.

It was gathered that the bandits had rounded up some of the workers and were looking for the Chinese expatriate who ran the site when they noticed the soldiers at the site and opened fire on them.

One of the soldiers was reportedly killed instantly, while the other was injured. The injured soldier reportedly returned fire despite his injury and got one of the bandits.

With one of them down, the bandits reportedly decided to retreat with the four abductees they had already rounded up. 

Seeing that their colleague was badly hit and unable to go with them, they reportedly shot him dead.

Local hunters enter the fight unprepared

As they were reportedly marching their captives into the bush, a team of local hunters sent to inspect the cause of the gunshot at the site by the Baale of Ajerogun Community, Nurudeen Salisu, arrived at the scene.

They did not immediately know it was a kidnapping incident. One of the hunters said they were coming with the mindset of settling what they believed was a dispute between warring workers.

He said they had already walked into the situation before realising how grave it was. He recalled that one of them who first decoded the situation shot into the air to warn his colleagues of the danger ahead of them. 

“We were informed that there was trouble at the site, so some of us moved there. We did not know the people involved were kidnappers. There were about five of them. One of us shot in the air to alert the rest to the danger, and the kidnappers responded,” the hunter who asked for anonymity said.

“One of our men, popularly called Ewe, was hit. Everyone ran for safety. I escaped through the river. By the time we returned with security personnel, he had died,” the resident said.

Police came hours late

He alleged that security operatives arrived several hours after distress calls were made. This was corroborated by another resident who claimed the police arrived four hours after frantic calls were first made to them.

The Baale of Ajerogun recalled that a similar incident happened about three years ago when some workers at the dredging site were kidnapped. 

He further recalled that a ransom of N5 million was dropped for the bandits before the workers were released.

The Baale said the community then advised the dredgers to engage security operatives to protect them. This was why two soldiers were on duty when the bandits arrived on Monday.

Chinese expatriate was their main target

Salisu opined that the bandits were keen to take the Chinese man who recently joined the mining team, but could not actualise their plans because of the resistance from the soldiers, firstly and later the local hunters.

The Baale disclosed that the moment he learnt that the gunmen had entered the bush, he alerted the neighbouring communities that the bandits were headed their way.

Failed ambush

“I called Oke-Oko Community to alert them that the kidnappers might want to pass through the area and that they should be vigilant. The Baale of Oke-Oko sent some men to ambush them, but the kidnappers killed two of the men and killed three out of the four people they took from the dredging site,” he told the publication.

The monarch said one of the abductees who escaped from the bandits identified the attackers as suspected Fulani gunmen.

Community thanked the responders

While commending the efforts of security agencies, the community leader expressed concern over the inadequate equipment available to first responders.

He commended the police, army and other security agencies who had been to the community since the incident happened.

Salisu, however, observed that the first officers who arrived were not adequately equipped. He also noted that the condition of the road remained a major challenge to getting instant help when needed.

Residents flee from their homes

Salisu noted that many residents had relocated their families out of fear, although he appealed to them to return, insisting that the situation had been brought under control.

As a result of the incident, some residents have abandoned their houses and shops in the area, fearing that the bandits could return at any time. 

Police Reaction

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed that the attack left a soldier, a local hunter and four other persons dead. Police also disclosed that one of the suspected kidnappers was neutralised during a gun battle with security operatives.

The Chairman of the Agbekoya group in Fowowawo Community, Musbau Adenekan, also confirmed that panic had spread across the area.

“Business activities have reduced significantly. This community is usually busy because of trading and dredging operations, but many people have left since Monday’s attack,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command has assured residents that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.

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