Two Soldiers Killed in Ogun: Eyewitnesses Reject Banditry Claims, Point to Land Dispute

Juliet Oladele, Reporting

CONFLICTING accounts have emerged following the killing of two Nigerian Army personnel in the Mowe/Ibafo corridor of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State, with eyewitnesses now disputing initial suggestions that bandits were responsible for the attack.

The soldiers were shot dead in the early hours of Monday. A viral video circulating online shows the blood-soaked corpse of one serviceman, still in camouflage, being loaded into a pickup van alongside plain-clothed operatives and civilians.

While initial reports blamed suspected bandits, fresh eyewitness testimony obtained by Stonix News paints a very different picture.

‘It Is Not Banditry’

One eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, insisted: “It is not banditry. It was between those who are at a private dredging site and those claiming land possession across the river. It was an isolated criminal act. A soldier was killed. Let’s stop spreading fear.”

Another witness, Lucas Aderemi, provided further details. Speaking to Stonix News, he said: “They are not bandits. These are ajagungbale [land grabbers] on Pakuro Road, which links to Ijere Elelede, Magbon Road, and then to Kara. The extreme end is Magbon, where dredging operates. According to information, they came with a flying boat.”

Mr Aderemi’s account suggests the assailants arrived via the waterway, using a speedboat, to carry out the attack – a detail that casts significant doubt on the banditry narrative.

Official responses

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for Ogun State Command, Oluseyi Babaseyi, denied knowledge of any incident. “No such attack has been reported either in Abeokuta or any other part of the state,” he said.

However, Major Idereghi Samuel, spokesperson for the Army Public Relations Department at the 35 Artillery Brigade Command in Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta, confirmed the attack. He admitted that full details remained sketchy, including the precise location, and promised to update journalists as soon as possible.

Isolated Criminal Act Or Wider Threat?

No group has claimed responsibility. The Nigerian Army has yet to issue an official statement, and it remains unclear whether the soldiers were on patrol, manning a checkpoint, or off duty.

The emergence of witness accounts pointing to a dispute over dredging and land ownership raises serious questions about the initial “banditry” framing. Local residents have grown increasingly concerned about violent clashes linked to land grabbing and illegal dredging operations across Ogun State’s riverine areas.

Stonix News understands that security forces are now under pressure to establish exactly what unfolded – and whether the soldiers were deliberately targeted or caught in the crossfire of a local turf war.

This is a developing story. Further updates will follow as more information becomes available.