In the Magbon-Etido neighborhood of Mowe in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, several gunmen suspected of kidnapping a civilian on Monday murdered one soldier and wounded another.
The incident happened early on Monday, according to information received.
Our correspondent saw a widely shared video of a car carrying what appeared to be a blood-soaked military personnel’s corpse together with roughly four other persons.
“Bandits are now in Magbon around Mowe, they have killed two soldiers,” according to a message that accompanied the video. A young man was also heard saying in Yoruba, “Won ti pa soja,” which translates to “They have killed a soldier.”
A community source told our correspondent over the phone on Monday that the gunmen had stormed the area in a commando-style operation and attempted to kidnap a man, prompting some soldiers to intervene. The source spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity due to the nature of the incident.
One of the policemen was killed and another was injured when the attackers opened fire on the soldiers, according to the source.
“I wasn’t present when it occurred. My understanding was that the military interfered when the gunmen attempted to abduct a local man.
One of the soldiers was shot dead and another was injured during the gunfight between the soldiers and the kidnappers.”
According to a different local report, the soldiers were shot by the suspects while trying to stop a kidnapping attempt.
The soldiers attempted to stop them from kidnapping a man, but the kidnappers shot them. One soldier was killed and another was hurt.
In a similar vein, a security who talked on the condition of anonymity said that the soldier had been killed but declined to elaborate.
However, the security added that, contrary to what locals and social media users had assumed, the attackers were not bandits.
It did occur, but it wasn’t a bandit attack. One security guard was slain and another was injured. The problem is being handled by the security personnel.
According to a widely shared voicemail purportedly left by Jimoh Owolabi, the Chairman of the Ajumoni Community Development Council, it was a kidnapping event involving a sand miner known as Kapo rather than a bandit attack.
According to Owolabi, during the assault, one of the security guards on the sand miner was killed and another was hurt.
“My name is Jimoh Owolabi, and I am the chairman of the Ajumoni Progressive Area CDC. The rumor that there were bandits in Magbon is untrue.
“Magbon is free of bandits. A sand miner known as Kapo was the target of kidnappers. One of the man’s security guards was slain and another was hurt during the assault.
Oluseyi Babaseyi, the Ogun State Police Command’s public relations officer, confirmed the soldier’s death in a statement released on Monday.
Additionally, Babaseyi stated that the incident was a criminal attack rather than a banditry occurrence.
“Unfortunately, a soldier on security duty lost his life during the incident, while another sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment,” the PPRO said.
Following the report, police officers and the military quickly mobilized to the scene and started coordinated operations to capture the perpetrators.
According to preliminary findings, there is no link between the occurrence and banditry in Ogun State. Tactical activities and investigations are still under progress.
He added that security had been strengthened in the area and reassured the state’s citizens that the issue was under control.
