SaharaReporters earlier reported that suspected bandits abducted several motorists and passengers who were travelling in some vehicles along the expressway.
At least one police officer has been killed and another injured during the face-off with suspected kidnappers on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday night.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that suspected bandits abducted several motorists and passengers who were travelling in some vehicles along the expressway.
The development had generated tension along the expressway as several other vehicles aborted the trips to their destination and drove in the opposite direction.
The incident happened around Dominion University City of Faith, KM 24, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
An eyewitness said nobody could ascertain the number of people kidnapped but three private vehicles were affected.
He listed the affected as a Jeep, a Toyota Camry Car and Sedan vehicle whose model could not be ascertained.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Adewale Osifeso, in a statement on Saturday said the police officers attached to the Toll-Gate responded to the sporadic gunshots during which an officer was killed.
He said four abandoned vehicles were recovered from the abduction scene.
According to the statement, “On Friday 28/10/2022 at about 1835HRS, Operatives of the Command attached to Toll-Gate Division received information about sporadic gunshots heard along the Dominion University end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“In swift response to the above, the Divisional Police Officer led a team comprising; Anti-crime patrol operatives, tactical teams, Police Mobile men and local hunters for immediate rescue and further intervention.
“During the process of prevailing and preventing further chaos from what was evidently an abduction scenario, an Officer attached to the Command paid the supreme price with one other badly injured and presently responding to treatment.
“So far, expended ammunition shells and (4) four abandoned vehicles were retrieved at the scene.”
He added that the Commission of Police CP Adebowale Williams had ordered a full scale scientific and technological aided investigation to unravel the incidents leading to the incident.
Osifeso therefore urged residents within and outside the area to be on the lookout for gunshot victims.
“Updates would be provided accordingly as the investigation unfolds, please,” he said.