Gunmen abducted a police officer in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State in the early hours of Thursday, the state police command said.
The victim, Ezra John of the Lade Division, was reportedly seized while returning from official duty at Patigi General Hospital to his base in Lade along the Patigi–Lade road — a route frequently targeted by criminals. Police found John’s motorcycle abandoned at the roadside.
Spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the abduction and said tactical teams have been deployed to locate and rescue the officer. “We have activated tactical teams to go find him. We are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure he is safely rescued and the perpetrators brought to book,” she said, urging residents to report suspicious movements.
The attack has heightened fears among locals and renewed calls for increased security presence in Patigi and neighbouring communities. Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, speaking after a security council meeting days earlier, vowed that the state would use all available resources to root out criminal hideouts and warned perpetrators they would face justice.
