Gunmen have attacked Aqua Triton Company located in Ogunmakin, near Ibadan, Oyo State, killing a police officer and abducting a Chinese expatriate during the operation.
Police authorities said the assailants stormed the facility on Friday, 16 January, in a commando-style operation and engaged security operatives attached to the company.
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In the attack, one police officer was shot dead while attempting to repel the attack, although some of the gunmen were reportedly injured in the exchange of gunfire.
Confirming the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said on Saturday that the attackers later escaped with the Chinese expatriate, described by the police as the principal officer of the company.
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He said following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, ordered an immediate response, directing the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to lead the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and other tactical teams to the area.
“A bush-combing operation is ongoing, and a full-scale investigation has been launched to ensure the safe rescue of the victim and the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators,” Mr Ayanlade said.
He further said that the command had intensified efforts to track down the perpetrators.
“The Commissioner of Police has directed that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring the safe return of the kidnapped Chinese expatriate,” he added.
Rising Insecurity
Security challenges have been on the rise in Oyo State in recent months, with armed groups targeting rural and remote areas.
READ ALSO: Popular radio broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat declares for Oyo governorship on Accord platform
Earlier this month, five forest guards were killed in an attack on the Old Oyo National Park office in Oloka Village, Oriire Local Government Area.
Governor Seyi Makinde described the attack as a devastating loss and directed security agencies to intensify operations to apprehend those responsible, while urging residents in border communities to cooperate with authorities.
At an on-the-spot assessment of the Oloka Village attack, Governor Makinde vowed that the perpetrators would face the full weight of the state’s security apparatus.
He said the government would ensure that bandits and other criminals operating in the area “feel the presence of our fortified security from now on.”
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