A tragic security incident occurred on Saturday in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria, when unidentified armed men attacked a manufacturing facility belonging to Aqua Triton Company and forcefully abducted a Chinese national who served as a principal staff member of the firm.
The attack took place in the Ogunmakin area, a commercial community located on the outskirts of Ibadan, prompting heavy security response from law enforcement agencies.
According to a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, the attackers carried out a coordinated assault on the facility, which resulted in the death of a police officer who attempted to resist the invasion.
The official statement read, “There was an attack at Aqua Triton Company in Ogunmakin, near Ibadan, Oyo State, where yet to be identified gunmen stormed the facility in a commando-style operation.”
The spokesperson explained that the slain officer died while trying to repel the attackers. The statement added, “One police officer tragically died while repelling the attack, injuring some of the assailants, and the Chinese expatriate principal was abducted.”
Ayanlade further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, immediately deployed a tactical response unit to the scene, directing the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to lead the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and other specialized police teams.
Investigators have now launched a full manhunt aimed at locating the abducted expatriate, dismantling the armed group responsible, and securing future protection of industrial facilities in the region.
The police statement added, “A bush-combing operation is ongoing, and a full investigation has been launched to ensure the safe rescue of the victim and the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.”
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has recorded a rise in attacks by non-state armed groups targeting expatriate workers, commercial transportation operators, and rural communities over the past three years. Security analysts say this trend has increased pressure on state police commands and on the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen policing architecture.
Okay News reports.
