Police rescue 15-year-old kidnapped boy in Oyo, one suspect killed
- Police in Oyo say they rescued a 15-year-old boy abducted from Akinyele on October 18.
- One suspected kidnapper was killed in a gun duel along the Awe–Iwo Road axis.
- Other suspects fled with gunshot wounds and police want residents to report them.
Police in Oyo State say they have rescued a 15-year-old boy who was kidnapped in Akinyele Local Government Area, and killed one suspected kidnapper during a gun battle.
The boy, identified as Sumaila Muhammadu, was abducted from the Onidundun area of Akinyele on October 18, 2026, according to a statement by the command's spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, issued in Ibadan on Sunday.
The police said the kidnappers were demanding a ransom for his release before operatives moved in.
How the operation unfolded
Ayanlade said the command received intelligence on October 22 at about 5pm that the gang was holding the boy and asking for money.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, then directed the Anti-Kidnapping Section to work with the Oyo Zone Vigilante Group of Nigeria to secure the boy's release, the statement said.
The team moved to the Pipeline, Ajagba axis along the Awe–Iwo Road, where the suspects opened fire on seeing them at about 9:30pm. A gun duel followed.
"Despite the attack, the operatives successfully rescued the victim," Ayanlade said, adding that one suspected kidnapper was killed while others fled in different directions, reportedly with gunshot injuries.
The dead suspect was taken to a hospital, where a doctor confirmed him dead, and his body was deposited at the morgue. Police said they recovered a cutlass and an Android phone from the scene.
For families in Oyo, the case is a reminder of how quickly kidnapping can touch ordinary neighbourhoods, and how quickly ransoms are demanded. It also shows the role local vigilante groups now play alongside police in rescue operations.
What happens next
Police are asking residents around Awe–Iwo Road and nearby communities to report anyone with suspicious gunshot wounds, saying the fleeing suspects may be injured.
They also urged doctors, hospital administrators and other health workers to notify the nearest police station if anyone seeks treatment for gunshot injuries linked to the incident.
The command said it will keep up intelligence-led operations and work with other security agencies to break up kidnapping gangs in the state.
