Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has confirmed the killing of five National Park Service Forest Guard officers following an attack by suspected bandits at the National Park Office in Oloka Village.
In a statement personally issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the governor described the incident as a criminal attack and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the officers, who were killed while carrying out their official duties.
“Earlier today, there was a criminal attack by bandits at the National Park Office, Oloka Village which resulted in the death of five National Park Service Forest Guard Officers,” Makinde said in a post on his X handle. “This is a devastating loss of lives of personnel in the course of carrying out their lawful duties. May their souls rest in peace.”
The governor revealed that preliminary findings by security agencies suggest the attack was a cross-border operation. According to him, early intelligence points to bandits who may have exploited border routes and forest corridors to carry out the assault.
“Preliminary investigations by the security agencies indicate that this was a cross-border attack carried out by bandits,” Makinde stated. He added that security agencies are already working together to respond to the situation and have called on residents in the affected areas to cooperate by providing useful information.
Makinde also appealed for calm, especially among residents of Oriire Local Government Area and other border communities in the state. He assured the public that normalcy has been restored and that additional security personnel have been deployed to prevent further incidents.
“I appeal to residents of Oyo State, particularly those in Oriire LGA and other LGAs along our borders, to remain calm,” he said. “Security agencies have restored normalcy and deployed more personnel to the area. Our administration will leave no stone unturned in responding decisively to prevent a recurrence of such attacks.”
The incident has further heightened concerns over insecurity in border communities, where authorities have warned that armed groups often exploit forest routes to launch attacks. Reports of the killings earlier in the day had triggered fear and uncertainty before the governor’s official confirmation.
The attack adds to growing national concerns over security challenges in different parts of the country, especially in areas close to inter-state and international borders.
