Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers killed a So-Safe Corps officer identified as Saheed Ogunrinde, two workers and abducted two others at a farm in Awo village, Orile-Imo in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
It was gathered that the kidnappers, dressed in military camouflage, invaded the farm which had over 200 workers on Tuesday night, May 30, 2023.
A source said the gunmen attempted to abduct many workers in the farm but were resisted by the security men, though they succeeded in kidnapping two, and killing two others.
Confirming the incident, the Commander of So-Safe Corps, Soji Ganzalo, said his men joined the operation to salvage the situation after the kidnappers had invaded the village.
“The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps also known as So-Safe Corps has lost one of his gallant Officers to kidnappers in Orile-Imo in Ogun,” he said.
“On Tuesday, 30th May, 2023, the Corps received information that two people were killed and other two were kidnapped in Awo Village (Abule Awo) , Orile-Imo in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area.
Ganzalo revealed that the So-Safe Corps Special Team Owode-Egba Area Command led by the Area Operation Officer, SC Saheed Ogunrinde and the team of Police, embarked on a mission to rescue unhurt, the kidnap victims same day, but all effort to track the suspects proved abortive.
Ganzalo noted that on Wednesday, 31st May, 2023, the So-Safe team and the Police returned to the affected area to carry out a thorough search which extends to the Interchange axis. And there was a green light that the syndicates would be captured.
Ganzalo bitterly expressed that it was so sad that the kidnap suspects, on sighting the joint operations of the So-Safe Corps and the Police, opened fire and the bullet hit the operation leader of the So-Safe Corps, SC Saheed Ogunrinde and he fell and died as a result of too much blood gushing from the bullet wound.
“His rifle and phone was taken away by the syndicates and effort is ongoing to capture the crime suspects and to recover the property of the Corps from them,” he added.
Ganzallo said that the remains of the fallen hero has been taken to his residence at Ajura, Orile-Imo and was buried according to the Muslim rites.