Policeman Killed, Another Injured As Gunmen Abduct Travellers Along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

One police officer assigned to the Oyo State Command has been confirmed dead, while another has suffered serious injuries while responding to a distress call from a kidnapping incident.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the injured officer is receiving medical care at an unnamed hospital and is reacting to it.

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The officers allegedly rushed to the Dominion University end of the Lagos/Ibadan expressway in response to a distress call and found four abandoned vehicles as well as used artillery shells.

Unknown numbers of drivers were reportedly taken during the attack, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

He added that the development generated tension along the expressway as several vehicles aborted the trips to their destination while some others drove in the opposite direction.

The incident, the source added, happened around Dominion University City of Faith, KM 24, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Another eyewitness, who could also not ascertain the number of people kidnapped, said three private vehicles were affected.

The source, who was travelling from Lagos to Ibadan, said the development caused fear and apprehension among motorists and passengers around the spot as heavy sporadic gunshots rented the air.

Another unconfirmed source said the abductors were dressed in military uniform.

The source, who witnessed the situation but spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed that he escaped the kidnapping by the whiskers.

He narrated that the kidnappers who were in military uniform were sighted coming from the bush when they launched what he described as a calculated attack.

He said the kidnappers opened fire from the rear, killing at least two travellers while others sustained various degrees of injuries.

He said: “Myself and three of my colleagues were returning from Sagamu after close of work, by the time we got to Onigari axis of Lagos Ibadan expressway at about 4:30pm, we noticed some military men in the bush and were wondering what they could be doing in the bush.

“Suddenly they came out of the bush from the front and the back and they opened fire from the rear but fortunately for us, our vehicle was in the middle so we were lucky to get cover from the vehicles behind and the front.

“We ran into the bush and we were there for about forty minutes before we came out. A man who was hit by bulletin eventually died while we were trying to contact his family to inform them of the attack while others sustained serious injuries.”

He added that many of the cars caught up in the incident were damaged as a result of efforts by drivers to maneuver themselves to escape.

“I don’t pray my enemy experience such occurrence, it was traumatic,” he concluded

Oyo Commissioner of Police Adebowale Williams while calling for calm called on caregivers, traditional healers, and residents within and outside the area of the shooting incident to be on the lookout for gunshot victims and immediately report any strange occurrence to the Police for prompt action.

He spoke through the Command’s Spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, Superintendent of Police, in a statement.

He said “On Friday 28/10/2022 at about 1835hrs operatives of the Command attached to Toll-Gate Division received information about sporadic gunshots heard along the Dominion University end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“In a swift response, the Divisional Police Officer led a team comprising; Anti-crime patrol operatives, tactical teams, Police Mobile men and local hunters for immediate rescue and further intervention.

“During the process of prevailing and preventing further chaos from what was evidently an abduction scenario, an officer attached to the Command paid the supreme price with one other badly injured and presently responding to treatment.

“So far, expended ammunition shells and four abandoned vehicles were retrieved at the scene.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP 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.

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“In the same vein, caregivers, traditional healers, and residents within and outside the area of the shooting incident are advised to be on the lookout for gunshot victims and immediately report any strange occurrence to the Police for prompt action.

“Updates would be provided accordingly as the investigation unfolds.”

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