A joint security operation involving troops of the Nigerian Army and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force has thwarted an attempted kidnapping of Chinese expatriates at a dredging site in Ogun state.
The incident claimed the lives of a soldier and four hostages.
The operation took place in Magbon Village, located in the Mowe area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, after security agencies received an emergency alert from the site where the expatriates were working.
According to military authorities, troops of the 35 Artillery Brigade, operating alongside police officers, responded swiftly to the distress call but encountered armed men suspected to be kidnappers who launched an attack on the security team.
A fierce gun battle reportedly followed, during which security operatives successfully disrupted the planned abduction of the foreign workers. One of the suspected kidnappers was killed during the exchange, forcing the remaining attackers to retreat into nearby forest areas.
However, while escaping, the gunmen reportedly seized five individuals and used them as human shields to evade pursuing security forces.
Military sources disclosed that the fleeing suspects moved towards the Ogun River corridor, where they later murdered four of the hostages before escaping through a river route using a boat.
One hostage reportedly escaped and alerted security operatives, revealing that the kidnappers also carried away the body of another victim.
The confrontation also resulted in casualties among security personnel. A soldier lost his life during the operation, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.
The bodies of the deceased soldier and the four slain hostages have been deposited at a mortuary in Sagamu.
Following the incident, security agencies have intensified patrols and surveillance across the area as efforts continue to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing, while the identities of the victims have not yet been officially released.
