Oyo Police, Amotekun Rescue Four Kidnapped Passengers Along Igbeti–Kishi Road

In a statement issued on Friday, the command said the victims were rescued after a swift response by security operatives who combed the surrounding forest where the assailants had taken them.

The Oyo State Police Command says four passengers abducted along the Igbeti–Kishi Road in the early hours of Thursday, March 5, 2026, have been rescued following a coordinated security operation.

In a statement issued on Friday, the command said the victims were rescued after a swift response by security operatives who combed the surrounding forest where the assailants had taken them.

According to the police, preliminary reports showed that “armed hoodlums emerged from a nearby bush and blocked the road, intercepting a commercial bus travelling from Igbeti towards Kishi.”

The statement added that “during the incident, four passengers were forcefully taken into the surrounding bush by the assailants.”

The police said that upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, directed Divisional Police Officers in Igbeti and Kishi divisions to mobilise resources to rescue the victims.

The command said, “Immediately the report was received, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Femi Haruna, promptly directed the Divisional Police Officers of Igbeti and Kishi Divisions, in conjunction with relevant tactical teams, to mobilize all necessary operational resources to ensure the victims were rescued unhurt.”

Security operatives drawn from the police, Amotekun Corps, Operation Burst and other local security stakeholders subsequently launched a bush-combing operation in the area.

“Acting on this directive, a combined security team comprising Police operatives, members of the Amotekun Corps, Operation Burst, and other local security stakeholders swiftly moved to the area and commenced intensive combing of the surrounding forests,” the statement said.

It added that the sustained operation forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims.

“The sustained bush combing operation, which lasted for several hours, mounted significant pressure on the criminals, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee the scene.”

The command said the four victims were rescued without injuries and reunited with their families.

“Consequently, the four victims were successfully rescued unhurt, have regained their freedom, and have since been reunited with their families,” the statement said.

The Commissioner of Police commended members of the joint security team for their efforts, noting that cooperation among security agencies remained critical in safeguarding lives and property across the state.

The command also expressed appreciation to the Oyo State Government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde for what it described as the prompt response and resources mobilised to support security operations in the state.

It further acknowledged the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, for his “strategic leadership and direction to Commands nationwide in the ongoing fight against crime and criminality.”