The Ekiti State Police Command says its operatives, in collaboration with the military, Amotekun Corps, and local vigilantes, discovered a kidnappers’ den inside the forest between Irele-Ekiti in Ekiti State and Ogbe in Kogi State during a bush-combing operation. Two victims, Iorfa Solomon, 35, and Blessing Kingsley, 37, were rescued after being held hostage.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, on Wednesday said the discovery was made during the operation.

“Upon sighting the operatives, the suspected kidnappers engaged them in a gun duel. In the process, one of the suspects was arrested, while other members of the gang escaped. Meanwhile, the two victims were rescued unharmed.

“Investigation revealed that the victims, Iorfa Solomon and Blessing Kingsley, were kidnapped while on duty at Aluta Bar, Ikoyi, in Kogi State, on June 4, 2026, at about 9:00 p.m.

“The victims narrated that the hoodlums, numbering about eight and armed with guns, surrounded them at the bar, shot sporadically into the air, and whisked them away into the forest, while other people at the bar managed to escape.

“During interrogation, the suspect, Abubakar Kabiru, confessed to the commission of the crime. He identified the two people rescued as their victims, while the victims also identified him as one of the hoodlums who kidnapped them.

“The suspect mentioned seven other members of his gang who are currently at large. Efforts are underway to arrest the fleeing members.

“The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, calls on everyone to be vigilant and security-conscious, and to support and cooperate with the police and other security agencies in the fight against crime and criminality in the state.”

A mother, her son, and another man identified as ‘Shanko’ were reportedly found dead on Wednesday in the Egbe Subair area of Ijebu-Igbo.

The lifeless bodies of the woman and the man were found in the toilet of their residence, while the four-year-old child was found in one of the rooms within the house.

According to residents who visited the scene, there were indications that a struggle may have occurred before the deaths, as some parts of the toilet and other items within the premises were reportedly damaged.

However, speculation within the community suggests that poisoning may have been responsible for the deaths.

When contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, called for calm, stating that investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

He added that the corpses have been deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary, Ijebu-Igbo.

“The Ogun State Police Command is investigating the tragic deaths.

“Investigation is ongoing, while the bodies have been deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary, Ijebu-Igbo.”

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Commissioner, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, on Wednesday disclosed that two bandits belonging to a gang that have been terrorizing the capital city have been shot dead.

Sanusi disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Command on Wednesday, said he led the operation that resulted in their deaths.

The gang was trailed over the abduction of five residents of Paze community in Byazhin ward of Bwari Area Council last week.

Bandits had kidnapped five people including a pastor, while a local vigilante member identified as Shuaibu Yerima was shot dead during an invasion of Paze community on Thursday.

But the police boss said the kidnapped victims were rescued during the operation involving a team comprising operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the NPF Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and Kubwa Area Command, in collaboration with local hunters and vigilante groups.

The operation reportedly led to the arrest of suspects identified as Icheh Mohammadu and Abubakar Usman, while other gang members reportedly fled into nearby hills.

“And during the operation, the police team also recovered two AK-47 rifles with magazines, while two of the gang members were arrested during the crossfire,” he said.

He said it was at approximately 9:00 p:m on Tuesday, when he led the joint security team to launched an intensive search, clearance, and rescue operation across Paze and Byazhin communities.

CP Sanusi said the five rescued victims have since been taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention, while efforts are ongoing to reunite them with their families