Gunmen Kill Four Hostages, Soldiers in Ogun State Kidnapping Attack on Chinese Expatriates

Armed kidnappers attacked a dredging site in Ogun State on Monday morning, triggering a deadly confrontation with security forces that left multiple people dead, including four hostages who were reportedly killed by their captors as they fled.

The incident took place at a dredging facility known as Capo, located in Magbon Village in the Mowe area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area. The site was staffed by Chinese expatriate workers at the time of the attack.

In the early hours of Monday, June 8, 2026, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed the dredging site. A joint security patrol responding to a distress call from the location was ambushed.

Idereghi Akari, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 35 Artillery Brigade, confirmed the incident in an official statement released on Tuesday.

"The incident occurred on Monday, June 8, 2026, when the joint security patrol was ambushed by armed men suspected to be kidnappers while responding to a distress call at a dredging site where the expatriate workers were engaged in operations," the statement read.

According to Akari, a fierce exchange of fire broke out during which one of the attackers was neutralized. The remaining gunmen then retreated through surrounding forest terrain toward the Ogun River, taking five hostages with them as human shields to prevent pursuit by a Quick Response Force that had been deployed as reinforcement.

"The four hostages were later killed by the fleeing attackers before they escaped through the river channel with a boat," the statement confirmed.

One surviving hostage who managed to escape told responders that the attackers took the body of one of the killed hostages with them during their flight.

The attack claimed more than civilian lives. Witnesses at the scene said one of the military officers defending the area was killed during the initial confrontation, and another was shot.

The army's statement further confirmed that two police officers and an additional soldier were shot and killed during the firefight. A local hunter who had joined the bush-combing operation to help track the fleeing attackers also lost his life during the pursuit.

The slain soldier and the recovered remains of the four hostages have been taken to the General Hospital in Sagamu. Injured security personnel are currently receiving medical treatment.

Note: The total number of security personnel killed in this incident, as reported across witness accounts and the official army statement, does not yet add up to a single confirmed figure. Infotresting will update this report as the military releases a comprehensive casualty count.

Major Akari stated that operations in the Mowe axis will continue until the fleeing attackers are apprehended.

"Following the incident, the Quick Response Force and other security agencies have intensified patrols and surveillance in the area to restore calm and prevent further security breaches," the statement added.

He reaffirmed the military's commitment to protecting lives and property in the region, noting that troops worked alongside the Nigerian Police throughout the response.