An Indian national has been abducted and a police officer killed following a violent attack on an agricultural farm in Ogunmakin community, near Ibadan, Oyo State.
The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. on January 16, 2026, when about 10 armed bandits invaded Aqua Triton Company, an agricultural firm operating in the area.
According to security sources, the attackers seized 42-year-old Renjith Pillai, an Indian expatriate and director of the company, while he was inspecting crops on the farm.
Four Police Mobile Force (PMF) officers were reportedly deployed to guard the facility at the time of the attack. During the assault, a police inspector, identified as Imoobe Prester, confronted the gunmen in an attempt to prevent the abduction.
“In the course of the encounter, the bandits shot Inspector Imoobe and escaped into the bush with his AK-47 rifle after abducting the expatriate,” a source told Zagazola Makama. The officer was rushed to a medical facility but was later confirmed dead.
Following the attack, security agencies launched a coordinated search operation involving officers from the Idi-Ayure Police Division, PMF personnel, the anti-kidnapping squad, other tactical units, as well as local hunters and vigilante groups. The operation is aimed at rescuing the abducted expatriate and recovering the stolen firearm.
Authorities said intelligence from local residents and farm workers is being leveraged to track the fleeing suspects.
The remains of the slain police officer have been deposited at the Adeoyo Hospital morgue along Ring Road, Ibadan, for autopsy.
Police authorities have appealed to members of the public to provide any information that could assist in the rescue operation and the arrest of those responsible.
The attack further highlights the growing threat of armed banditry in rural communities across the state. Recently, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde warned that bandits displaced by sustained military operations in Nigeria’s Northwest were relocating to parts of the state.
The governor made the disclosure during the 2025 annual inter-faith service for workers held in Ibadan, assuring residents that his administration would take decisive action to flush out and neutralise criminal elements operating within Oyo State.
