On Friday, a skirmish with alleged kidnappers along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway resulted in the deaths of one police officer and injuries to another.
On Friday night, the suspected kidnappers, who were dressed in military attire, surrounded the Dominica University area near the highway and kidnapped an undetermined number of people, among them Prof. Adigun Agbaje, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan.
On Saturday, a relative of the lecturer revealed to press that the kidnappers had gotten in touch with the family and demanded a N50 million ransom.
Adewale Osifeso, a spokesman for the Oyo State police command, verified the event.
He said that on Friday night, information regarding intermittent gunfire near Dominion University’s end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reached the toll gate’s personnel, who then mobilised to the spot.
He said: “The command responded swiftly to the incident with the deployment of Anti-crime patrol operatives, tactical teams, Police Mobile men, and local hunters led by the Divisional Police Officer to rescue the abductees.
“During the process, one of the officers paid the supreme price while another badly injured officer is presently responding to treatment
“So far, expended ammunition shells and four abandoned vehicles were retrieved at the scene.
“Furthermore, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, has ordered full-scale scientific and technological aided investigations to unravel the events that led to the incident with the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department leading the charge.”
