The Oyo State Police Command has launched a coordinated rescue operation following the abduction of two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), while dismissing reports of another mass abduction in parts of Ibadan as false and misleading.

The command disclosed that the incident was reported on May 19, 2026, about 6:00 p.m. by the Chief Security Officer of CRIN to the Idi-Ayunre Divisional Police Headquarters.

According to the police, unidentified gunmen reportedly invaded the institute’s premises and whisked away the two workers to an unknown destination.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the command said operatives immediately visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

Preliminary investigations, according to the police, revealed that about six armed men carried out the attack before fleeing into nearby forest areas with the victims.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbemiga, subsequently ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence units, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted workers and arrest of those behind the attack.

The command said intensive bush-combing and coordinated search operations commenced across surrounding forest locations linked to the incident.

It added that during one of the operations conducted on May 20 at about 8:10 a.m., police operatives intercepted two suspects identified simply as Shehu and Abubakar.

According to the statement, the suspects volunteered to lead security operatives to the hideout of other members of the gang, but the team came under gunfire while approaching the location.

“The operatives responded professionally, repelled the attack and successfully extracted the two suspects, who are currently in custody of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further investigation and intelligence exploitation,” the statement added.

The command expressed concern over what it described as false and sensational reports circulating on social media and some media platforms alleging another mass abduction in the Abanla community and other parts of Ibadan.

The police clarified that no such incident had been reported anywhere within the Ibadan metropolis apart from the CRIN abduction case already under investigation.

The command warned that dissemination of unverified reports could create unnecessary panic, undermine ongoing security operations and divert emergency response resources from genuine threats.

It, therefore, urged journalists, bloggers and social media users to verify security-related information through appropriate channels before publication.

The police also assured residents that robust security measures had been put in place across affected areas and other strategic locations in the state to deny criminal elements operational space.

Residents were urged to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding while supporting security agencies with credible information that could aid ongoing operations.