Ogun Kidnapping Deadly Attack leaves soldier and four hostages dead after gunmen attacked a dredging site in Mowe, Ogun State

A soldier and at least four hostages have been killed following a deadly kidnapping attack targeting Chinese expatriates at a dredging site in Magbon Village, Mowe area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday.

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Security personnel, including troops of the Nigerian Army and police officers, reportedly responded to a distress call after armed men suspected to be kidnappers stormed the site, popularly known as Capo, in the early hours of the day.

During the exchange of fire that followed, one soldier was killed while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot injuries.

A local hunter assisting in the bush-combing operation also lost his life during an encounter with fleeing assailants.

Deadly Attack of Ogun state kidnapping escalated as the assailants reportedly abducted five hostages and used them as human shields while escaping through surrounding forest terrain towards the Ogun River.

According to a statement from the Nigerian Army’s 35 Artillery Brigade, Idereghi Akari, the kidnappers killed four of the hostages while attempting to evade a Quick Response Force deployed to reinforce the operation.

The army further confirmed that one attacker was neutralised during the fierce gun battle, while the remaining suspects fled the scene using a boat along the river channel, taking the body of a deceased accomplice with them.

The statement added that the deceased soldier and the recovered bodies of the victims have been deposited at the General Hospital, Sagamu, while injured personnel are receiving medical treatment.

Following the incident, joint security teams have intensified patrols and surveillance in the area in a bid to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks.

Military authorities reiterated their commitment to restoring calm in the Mowe axis, assuring residents that ongoing operations would continue until those responsible are apprehended.

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The latest incident has heightened concerns over the safety of expatriate workers and residents in parts of Ogun State, where kidnapping and armed attacks have persisted in recent months.