An armed bandit attack on the National Park Office in Oloka Village, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has resulted in the tragic death of five National Park Service Forest Guard Officers. The incident, which occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, involved approximately 12 armed assailants who reportedly emerged from surrounding bushes, opened fire on the facility, and then fled the scene.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, confirmed the criminal attack, expressing profound sorrow over the devastating loss of lives. He described the incident as a cross-border attack carried out by bandits, based on preliminary investigations by security agencies. Governor Makinde assured residents that his administration would take decisive action to prevent a recurrence of such attacks and called for calm, especially among communities in Oriire LGA and other border areas, affirming that normalcy had been restored and additional personnel deployed.

The Oyo State Police Command has intensified security operations in the Oke-Ogun axis following the assault. The Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, accompanied by heads of other security agencies and the Commandant of the National Forest Rangers, visited the scene shortly after the incident. During an on-the-spot assessment, CP Haruna met with community leaders in Oloka, where he extended condolences to the families of the slain officers and reassured residents of the Nigeria Police Force's unwavering commitment to preventing future attacks.

Contrary to circulating reports, the police clarified that the assailants exclusively targeted the Rangers’ office and did not launch attacks on neighboring settlements. The swift deployment of tactical teams, mobile police units, intelligence operatives, and the divisional police leadership in Ikoyi helped to avert wider casualties and a potential breakdown of law and order. The command has reinforced deployed personnel to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response capabilities within the axis, vowing to leave no stone unturned in identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those responsible for this heinous act. Preliminary investigations have already yielded promising leads.

The remains of the five fallen officers have been evacuated, and forensic teams have thoroughly combed the site for evidence. The attack has heightened concerns over insecurity in forested areas, particularly given that the Oloka National Park Service office is located near a vast forest reserve identified as a potential hideout for criminal elements. Security has been reinforced across Oriire Local Council, with increased patrols along major roads and forest routes, and residents are urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to aid ongoing investigations.