Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has confirmed that five Forest Guard Officers of the National Park Service were killed in a deadly attack by bandits on the National Park Office in Oloka Village, Orire Local Government Area.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, Governor Makinde described the incident as a “criminal attack by bandits” that occurred earlier on Tuesday.
He expressed profound grief over the loss, stating: “This is a devastating loss of the lives of personnel in the course of carrying out their lawful duties. May their souls rest in peace.”
Preliminary investigations by security agencies suggest the assault was a cross-border incursion carried out by bandits, likely originating from neighbouring regions. The attack took place around 9:00 p.m. on 6 January, catching the park personnel off guard.
Governor Makinde assured residents that security forces have restored calm in the area and deployed additional personnel to bolster protection along border communities.
“The security agencies are already working together to address this incident and seek the support of residents in the area to cooperate with them in their intelligence gathering,” he said.
He further appealed for calm among residents of Oyo State, particularly those in Orire LGA and other border local government areas: “Our administration will leave no stone unturned to respond decisively to prevent a recurrence of such attacks.”