IGP Launches Operation Kosaye to Flush Out Kidnappers in Lagos, Ogun

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has launched Operation Kosaye (No Chance), a special security operation aimed at flushing out kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminals from Lagos and Ogun states, following the successful rescue of five kidnap victims and the neutralisation of five suspected kidnappers. The operation, officially flagged off in Lagos and Ogun states, is part of renewed efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to dismantle criminal networks operating within forests, border communities and other identified black spots across both states.

Speaking at the Ogun State Police Training School, Iperu, the Commissioners of Police for Ogun and Lagos states, Bode Ojajuni and Tijani Fatai, said the initiative, which is being supported by the Lagos and Ogun State Governments through the provision of logistics, has already begun yielding positive results.

Five Victims Rescued Along Ijebu Ode-Sagamu-Benin Expressway

According to the police commissioners, operatives involved in the operation rescued five victims who were abducted along the Ijebu Ode-Sagamu-Benin Expressway on Thursday, June 25. They added that five suspected kidnappers were neutralised during the operation, while four others were arrested.

The Inspector-General of Police has launched Operation Kosaye as a decisive response to kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes in Lagos and Ogun states. The operation is specifically targeted at clearing forests, border communities and identified criminal hideouts.

— Bode Ojajuni and Tijani Fatai, Commissioners of Police, Ogun and Lagos States

The operation has already recorded remarkable successes with the rescue of five kidnapped victims along the Ijebu Ode-Sagamu-Benin Expressway, the neutralisation of five kidnappers and the arrest of four others.

— Bode Ojajuni and Tijani Fatai

Forests and Border Communities Cleared, No Active Captives Remain

They explained that security personnel have combed and cleared all identified forests and bushes across Lagos and Ogun states, including areas bordering Ondo and Oyo states, which had previously served as hideouts for kidnappers and other criminal elements. The commissioners further disclosed that no resident is currently being held captive by criminal gangs within the operational areas, noting that several criminal hideouts and illegal shanties used by hoodlums had also been dismantled.

The police chiefs reassured residents that security agencies would sustain the ongoing offensive against criminal gangs to ensure that both states remain safe for residents and travellers. They also appealed to members of the public to continue supporting security agencies by providing credible intelligence capable of leading to the arrest of criminal suspects, particularly urging residents to promptly report anyone with gunshot wounds, suspicious movements or unusual activities in their communities to the nearest police station. According to them, sustained collaboration between the police and members of the public remains critical to the success of the operation and the overall fight against violent crimes in the region.