Gunmen have launched a deadly, commando-style attack on Aqua Triton Company in Ogunmakin, near Ibadan, Oyo State, killing a police officer and abducting an Indian expatriate.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Saturday, describing it as a coordinated assault on the company’s premises.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the attackers stormed the facility and were immediately engaged by security personnel on duty.
“There was an attack at Aqua Triton Company in Ogunmakin, near Ibadan, Oyo State, where yet to be identified gunmen stormed the facility in a commando-style operation,” Olayinka said.
He clarified that the abducted foreign national is an Indian citizen, not Chinese as earlier reported.
“One police officer tragically died while repelling the attack, injuring some of the assailants, and the Indian expatriate principal was abducted,” the police spokesperson added.
Olayinka disclosed that the attackers sustained injuries during the exchange of gunfire before escaping with the expatriate.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, ordered an immediate security response.
“Immediately informed, the Commissioner of Police directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to lead the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and other tactical teams to the scene,” Olayinka stated.
He said security operatives have commenced an intensive bush-combing operation in and around Ogunmakin to rescue the abducted expatriate and apprehend the perpetrators.
“A bush-combing operation is ongoing, and a full investigation has been launched to ensure the safe rescue of the victim and the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators,” he said.
The police also assured residents and workers in the area that adequate measures have been put in place to restore calm and strengthen security, urging members of the public to provide useful information that could aid the ongoing investigation.
