Five Students Taken Hostage in Armed Attack on Ogun Polytechnic

At least five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade. GAPOSA, Ogun State, were said to have been abducted on Wednesday by suspected gunmen.

It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday when the assailants stormed a private student hostel along Paraga Road, Ipara-Remo, one of the communities bordering the polytechnic.

It was learnt that the assailants allegedly shot and abducted some students during the attack that lasted for about 30 minutes.

The polytechnic management has called off all examinations scheduled for Thursday following the incident.

“Due to the unfortunate incident that occurred yesterday, today’s exam has been cancelled. But the exam tomorrow is still on as planned. Any change in tomorrow’s examination will be communicated through an official announcement in a timely manner.

“For now, all students are advised to remain calm, stay positive and continue preparing for their examinations. “We hope the situation will be resolved soon,” the notice said.

The Students’ Union Government, SUG confirmed five students were affected.

In a joint statement signed by SUG President, Akinpelu Bukunmi Timothy, General Secretary Salau Boluwaduro Saidat, and Public Relations Officer, Matthew Francis Sonayon, the attacked hostel “is situated in a remote area surrounded by thick bush, making it vulnerable and unsuitable as a safe residential environment for students.”

“At about 7:45 pm, suspected armed bandits attacked a private student hostel at Paraga Road, Ipara. The hostel is in a remote area with thick bush surrounding it, which makes it vulnerable and not a safe residential environment for students.

“The attack was about 30 minutes. The remote location of the hostel meant that those in the nearby areas could not hear or respond to the incident in a timely fashion. Gunshots were fired by the attackers during the attack, but no student was killed. Some students escaped through the POP ceiling by the grace of God, while others could not escape.

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“We have verified that five students were abducted in the incident. We have officially reported the matter to the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies and we are sure that immediate efforts are underway to secure the safe rescue of the affected students.”

They called on students, parents, guardians and the public to disregard “false, exaggerated and unverified information” making the rounds on social media.

The union said: “While the incident is real and deeply unfortunate, many of the stories circulating at the moment do not accurately reflect the facts and only serve to create unnecessary fear and panic within the school community.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the abduction but said the command was yet to ascertain if the victims were students.

The Ogun State Police Command is aware of the reported incident of abduction at a private hostel in the Ipara area on Wednesday night, July 29, 2026.

The Command reacted to the distress report immediately by launching a coordinated operational response and deploying tactical teams and intelligence assets to the area. Bush-combing and other targeted operations are ongoing to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and arrest of those responsible.

“The total number of victims is yet to be ascertained as verification and investigation are still on.

He urged members of the public to disregard unverified figures and to avoid spreading misinformation that could jeopardize the ongoing operations.

This was reported to be barely 24hrs after a final year female marketing student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, was killed during an overnight robbery in the Eruku area of the community.