•The police picture is for illustration purpose, not connected to the reported operations.
The Ogun State Police Command has deployed its maximum operational strength along the Sagamu–Benin Expressway following a security incident reported around the J3 axis, assuring members of the public that the situation is under control.
The Daily Crucible reports that travellers on the Lagos–Sagamu–Ijebu Ode–Ore Expressway were thrown into panic on Thursday night following reports of an alleged invasion of the highway by suspected bandits at the Ogbere–J3 corridor.
Frightened passengers and motorists abruptly abandoned their vehicles and fled to safety amid fears of an imminent attack. The panic caused a massive traffic build-up, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill on both sides of the busy highway linking southwestern Nigeria with the South-East and South-South regions.
The incident reportedly occurred late Thursday and extended into the early hours of Friday, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.
Although details of the alleged security breach remained sketchy at the time of filing this report, the widespread panic significantly disrupted traffic along one of the country’s busiest interstate routes.
However, in a statement issued on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said operatives responded swiftly after receiving a distress call on Thursday, June 25, activating a coordinated security operation to track down the suspects.
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, directed the immediate deployment of four units of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), personnel from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, and other tactical teams to the affected area.
The command disclosed that a large-scale bush-combing operation is currently underway, with security operatives making significant progress in tracking the fleeing suspects, securing the corridor, and protecting commuters and residents.
It stressed that security forces have intensified surveillance and dominance of the area to prevent any further threat to public safety.
The police urged motorists and residents to remain calm, insisting that there is no cause for alarm as adequate security measures have been put in place to safeguard lives and property.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order across the state and encouraged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies by providing credible and timely information.
