Operatives of the Ogun and Lagos State Police Commands have arrested 88 suspects, rescued five kidnapped victims and killed four suspected kidnappers during a joint security operation codenamed Operation Kosaye.
The exercise, which involved coordinated bush-combing operations across Ogun and Lagos states up to the Oyo State boundary, also led to the recovery of arms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons.
Addressing journalists on Saturday at the Police Training College, Iperu, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, said the operation was initiated by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s successor, Olatunji Disu, to rid both states of criminal elements and address concerns over reported bandit activities.
Ojajuni said 84 suspects comprising 75 men and nine women were arrested during the statewide operation, while four additional suspects linked to a recent kidnapping incident were apprehended, bringing the total number of arrests to 88.
According to him, the police also rescued five victims abducted along the Ore-Ogbere Road on Thursday.
He disclosed that four suspected kidnappers were killed during the rescue operation.
He said, “We formally launched Operation Kosaye in Lagos and Ogun states. Operation Kosaye means there is no space for criminality and criminals. It is an initiative of the Inspector-General of Police, supported by the governors of Lagos and Ogun states.
“The aim is to wipe out banditry where it exists, clear criminal hideouts in the bushes and eliminate other criminal elements. We are also here to allay the fears of residents over rumours of banditry.
“We have cleared bushes from Ikeja to Kara Bridge, the Redemption Camp corridor, Iseri, Owode-Egba, Ogere, Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu-Ode and J4 near the Ondo State boundary. We also covered Epe, Ikorodu, Ogijo and other flashpoints, dismantling criminal hideouts and making arrests.”
The police commissioner explained that while the operation was ongoing, security operatives received reports of a kidnapping along the J3-J4 corridor on the Benin-Sagamu Expressway.
He said officers immediately responded, rescued the five victims, neutralised four kidnappers and arrested four others.
Items recovered during the operation included AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, assault rifles, English-made pistols, locally fabricated firearms, ammunition, battle axes, cutlasses and mobile phones.
Ojajuni appealed to residents to remain calm and continue supporting security agencies with credible information.
He urged members of the public to promptly report anyone found with gunshot injuries or suspicious movements within their communities.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, dismissed claims that bandits had established camps in Ogun or infiltrated Lagos.
He said all forests and thick bushes identified as potential criminal hideouts had been thoroughly searched, stressing that the operation would continue for as long as necessary.
Fatai assured residents that the police remained committed to safeguarding lives and property, adding that the ongoing exercise would be sustained to prevent criminals from gaining footholds in either state.
He also commended the Inspector-General of Police for the initiative and appreciated the Lagos and Ogun state governments for supporting the operation.
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