The Nigerian Army has confirmed the killing of a soldier and four hostages during an attempted abduction of Chinese expatriates in Magbon, Mowe, located within Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area.

The incident occurred around a dredging site where expatriate workers were reportedly carrying out operations before armed men suspected to be kidnappers launched an attack.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Major Idereghi Akari, said the tragedy unfolded after a joint security team comprising soldiers and police officers responded to a distress call from the area.

According to Akari, the security operatives were ambushed by the gunmen shortly after arriving at the scene, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire.

During the confrontation, one suspected kidnapper was killed, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot injuries.

“The incident occurred on June 8, 2026, when the joint security team was ambushed by armed men suspected to be kidnappers while responding to a distress call around a dredging site where expatriate workers were engaged in operations,” the statement said.

The Army spokesman explained that after suffering resistance from security operatives, the attackers retreated through nearby forests toward the Ogun River while allegedly using five abducted victims as human shields to evade pursuit by reinforcement troops.

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Akari disclosed that the fleeing kidnappers later killed four of the hostages before escaping through the river channel in a boat.

One of the victims reportedly managed to escape and later informed authorities that the attackers took away the body of their slain accomplice during their escape.

“Regrettably, a soldier lost his life during the encounter, while another soldier and two police officers sustained gunshot injuries,” Akari added.

The deceased soldier and the recovered bodies of the hostages were deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital in Sagamu, while injured security personnel are currently receiving medical treatment.

Following the attack, security agencies intensified patrols and surveillance operations across the affected area to prevent further breaches and restore calm.

Providing further details, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed that four persons were abducted during the incident.

According to him, police operatives, alongside military personnel and other security agencies, immediately launched a coordinated rescue operation after the attack.

“One of the abducted victims was rescued, while the remains of the other three victims were later recovered,” Babaseyi stated.

He also revealed that a local hunter assisting security forces during a bush-combing operation lost his life while confronting the fleeing criminals.

“During the bush-combing exercise, a local hunter supporting the operation lost his life in an encounter with the fleeing criminals. The Command extends its condolences to his family,” he said.

Babaseyi added that sustained pressure from the joint security team resulted in the neutralisation of one suspect, while efforts remain ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the criminal gang.

Authorities described the attack as an isolated criminal incident but assured residents that security agencies are intensifying operations to prevent further attacks in the area.