Police yesterday recounted how they rescued Sikirat, wife of retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos. Mrs Odumosu was abducted at her residence in the Arepo area of Ogun State on January 16.

According to reports, she was about to enter her home at about 9.45 pm when four masked gunmen accosted her, dragged her out of the car, and whisked her away to an unknown location. The hoodlums later demanded N10 million ransom for her release.

In a statement, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said Sikirat was rescued after a combined team of Force Headquarters (FHQ) technical intelligence platforms and police officers in Ogun State engaged her abductors in a gunfight and neutralised the criminals in the swampy area of Ikorodu on Wednesday. According to him, the team also recovered N10 million ransom which the kidnappers demanded.

He said two out of the six abductors were killed, while seven abandoned rifles were seized. Adejobi said: “Police officers engaged in extensive surveillance of the creeks surrounding Arepo, gathering crucial information to track down the assailants.

“Their efforts culminated in a raid on January 23 at about 06.45 am. “The intelligence-led operation took the police to a creek in the swampy area of Ikorodu where the kidnappers were reportedly planning their next attack. “Upon arrival, they encountered the kidnappers, who opened fire.

In the ensuing confrontation, two of the gunmen were neutralised, while four others fled the scene, abandoning their operational weapons. “Mrs Odumosu was unharmed within the swampy creeks during the operation. “She is currently undergoing medical evaluation as a precautionary measure and has since been reunited with her family.”