Ogun State police say they have killed two suspected kidnappers and rescued a truck driver who was abducted in the state.
The police said the operation also led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, 25 rounds of ammunition, two mobile phones and ₦2m in cash.
The victim, a professional truck driver, was reportedly abducted at about 23:10 local time on 25 August near Ajibawo, in the Ibese area of Ogun State.
The police said their Anti-Kidnapping Unit launched an operation after receiving a report of the abduction.
Police raid suspected hideout
According to the Ogun State Police Command, officers acting on what it described as "actionable intelligence" traced the suspected kidnappers to a hideout along the Papalanto-Ilaro Road.
The police said two suspected members of the gang were killed during the operation, while other suspects escaped with gunshot injuries.
Officers subsequently searched the location and recovered the weapons, ammunition, phones and cash, according to the command.
The police said the ₦2m was "reasonably suspected to be part of the proceeds of criminal activities".
That claim has not been independently verified.
The bodies of the two suspects have been deposited at a morgue for autopsy, the police said.
What happens to the other suspects?
The Ogun police said it had intensified efforts to find the gang members who escaped.
It also appealed to residents and medical workers to report anyone seeking treatment for suspected gunshot injuries.
The command did not provide details of the identity of the rescued victim or say whether any ransom had been paid.
It also did not disclose whether the recovered rifles would be subjected to forensic examination to establish whether they had been used in previous crimes.
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Police vow to pursue kidnappers
Ogun State Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni praised the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for what he described as a successful operation.
He said the incident "reinforces the Command's resolve to relentlessly pursue kidnappers and other violent criminals wherever they may seek refuge".
The commissioner added: "Ogun State will remain a hostile terrain for criminal elements" and said the command would continue to use intelligence-led policing, tactical operations and partnerships with communities.
He urged residents to provide timely and credible information about suspected criminal activity.
Why the operation matters
Kidnapping remains a major security concern in parts of Nigeria, with criminal gangs targeting travellers, motorists, farmers and residents for ransom.
Ogun's location between Lagos and several other states also makes security along major transport corridors particularly important.
Roads connecting communities and industrial areas carry large numbers of commercial vehicles and passengers.
For residents and businesses, successful rescue operations can reduce the immediate threat to life and help maintain confidence in road travel.
But the killing of suspects also raises questions about accountability.
The police will need to establish the identities and criminal links of those killed, while the autopsy and any forensic investigation could provide evidence about what happened during the operation.
The fate of the suspects who escaped will also be an important test of the command's ability to dismantle the wider network rather than only disrupt one hideout.
What happens next?
The immediate priority is to locate the fleeing suspects and determine whether they were injured during the operation.
Investigators are also expected to examine the recovered weapons, ammunition, phones and cash for evidence that could identify other members of the alleged gang or link them to previous kidnappings.
The police have not announced any arrests among the fleeing suspects.
Further details from the investigation will therefore be important in establishing the full scale of the operation and the alleged criminal network behind the abduction.
