The police in Oyo and Delta states have recorded separate successes in efforts to tackle kidnapping and violent crimes, rescuing a 15-year-old boy abducted in Oyo and arresting a school bus driver accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female student in Delta.

In Oyo State, the police rescued the teenage boy during a gun duel with suspected kidnappers, neutralising one of the suspects, while a manhunt continues for other members of the gang who escaped.

The victim, identified as Sumaila Muhammadu, was reportedly abducted from the Onidundun area of Akinyele Local Council on October 18, 2026.

The police said credible intelligence received on October 22 revealed that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom for his release.

In a statement yesterday, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed the Anti-Kidnapping Section, in collaboration with the Oyo Zone Vigilante Group, to launch a rescue operation.

The operation was carried out at about 9.30 p.m. in the Pipeline area of the Ajagba axis, along the Awe–Iwo Road, where the operatives reportedly came under fire from the suspected kidnappers.

A gun duel ensued, leading to the rescue of the teenager and the neutralisation of one of the suspects. Other gang members reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds.

According to the police, the injured suspect was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His remains were subsequently deposited in a morgue.

An Android phone and a cutlass were recovered from the scene.

The command said efforts were underway to track down the fleeing suspects. It urged residents of communities around Awe–Iwo Road and neighbouring areas to report anyone with suspicious gunshot wounds.

Medical personnel were also asked to alert the police if anyone sought treatment for gunshot injuries under suspicious circumstances.

In Delta State, the police arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Lucky Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.

The suspect was also accused of demanding and collecting N503,000 in ransom from the victim’s father before abandoning the girl.

The Delta State Police Command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, told The Guardian that the incident was reported at the Sapele Area Command on October 20 by the victim’s father, who alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school.

Edafe said the suspect allegedly contacted the girl’s father, demanded N503,000 and threatened to kill the minor if the ransom was not paid.

After the payment, the victim was reportedly abandoned along Oton Road, Sapele, where she was reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.

The police said operatives of the Sapele Area Command immediately began investigations and arranged for the victim to undergo medical examination and treatment.

The school principal and vice principal were invited for questioning, while efforts were intensified to apprehend the suspect, who had reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled.

Acting on credible intelligence, the police traced Ughagha to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23.

According to Edafe, the suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime during preliminary interrogation. Arrangements were being made to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, condemned the incident and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.

He said investigations would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.

He also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to exercise greater vigilance, stressing that the safety of children entrusted to their care must remain a priority.