JUST IN: Ogun police confirm abduction of five Gateway ICT Polytechnic students

Suspected gunmen have abducted five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, after attacking a private student hostel in Ipara, Remo North Local Government Area, on Wednesday evening.

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident on Thursday, saying a coordinated security operation involving the police and other agencies is underway to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the abduction occurred at a private hostel in the Ipara area on the night of July 29. He said tactical teams and intelligence assets were deployed immediately after the police received a distress report from the scene.

Babaseyi assured residents that rescue efforts were ongoing and expressed confidence that the victims would be safely recovered. He also appealed to parents, students and members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation that could undermine the ongoing operation.

The Students’ Union Government of Gateway ICT Polytechnic also confirmed the incident, disclosing that five students were abducted during the attack. The union’s spokesperson, Matthew Francis Sonayon, said the assailants stormed a private hostel along Paraga Road in Ipara at about 7:45 p.m.

According to Sonayon, the attack lasted for about 30 minutes, during which the gunmen fired several shots. Despite the gunfire, no student was killed, while a number of occupants escaped by climbing through the hostel’s suspended POP ceiling.

He said some students, however, were unable to flee before the attackers left with five victims.

The students’ union expressed optimism that the ongoing rescue operation would lead to the safe return of the abducted students, while security agencies continue efforts to track down the gunmen and restore calm to the affected community.