In a decisive operation underscoring Lagos State’s bolstered security measures, 39-year-old escapee Kabiru Oyedun has been recaptured by the Lagos State Police Command after months on the run. Oyedun was among the inmates who fled the Ilesa Correctional Centre in Osun State earlier this year, exploiting a breach in the facility’s perimeter fence.
According to SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, the breakthrough came on Tuesday, May 21, 2025, when officers of the Ayobo Division finally cornered and arrested Oyedun at approximately 5:30 p.m.:
“Kabiru Oyedun was trailed and arrested in Ayobo on May 21, 2025, at about 5:30 p.m. by operatives of the Command attached to Ayobo Division,” SP Hundeyin confirmed to PUNCH Online on Friday. “This arrest is a testament to our proactive and preventive security measures aimed at ensuring that criminal elements cannot find refuge in Lagos State.”
Oyedun’s escape from the Ilesa facility, which involved a coordinated effort to breach the prison’s fence, sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s correctional system. Since then, Lagos and Osun State authorities have coordinated an intense intelligence— and community-based manhunt, sharing suspect descriptions with neighborhood vigilante groups, bus park associations, and local security outfits across the southwest corridor.
News of the arrest spread quickly on social media, with residents of Ayobo sharing videos of armed officers converging on a residential compound where Oyedun was apprehended. Hashtags like #JusticeServed and #LagosSecurity trended on X, with many lauding the Ayobo Division’s diligence:
“Finally, this fugitive thought he could hide in our city. Kudos to the @LagosPolice for swift action,” wrote one user.
Following his rearrest, Oyedun will be transported back to Osun State under heavy police escort, where he will face new charges related to his escape, in addition to serving out his original sentence. Legal observers expect that the authorities will make an example of the jailbreak ringleaders, issuing stern penalties for any prison staff found complicit in the breach.
The Lagos State Police Command has urged residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious persons or activities via their local divisions. With the recapture of Oyedun, the command reaffirms its commitment to inter-state collaboration and community engagement as critical tools in keeping Lagos secure and inhospitable to fugitives and criminal networks.
This operation not only restores confidence in the rule of law but also sends a clear message: Lagos remains steadfast in its resolve to protect its citizens and to prevent the spillover of criminal elements from other jurisdictions.
