Police react to deadly attack on forest rangers in Oyo

The Oyo State Police Command says it has intensified security operations in the Oke-Ogun axis following a late-night attack on the National Forest Rangers’ Office in Oloka village, Ikoyi-Ile, which left five officers dead.

The attack occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday when a group of gunmen, estimated at about 12, reportedly emerged from surrounding bushes and opened fire on the facility before fleeing.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, visited the scene shortly after the incident, alongside heads of other security agencies and the commandant of the National Forest Rangers.

Mr Haruna, a deputy superintendent of police, who met with community leaders during the on-the-spot assessment, expressed condolences to the families of the slain officers and assured residents that a coordinated security response had been activated to prevent further attacks.

“The CP assessed the security situation of the facility and held an interactive session with community leaders of Oloka Community, where he expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives and reassured them of the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, to prevent a recurrence of such incidents,” the statement read.

According to the police, contrary to circulating reports, the assailants targeted only the Rangers’ office and did not launch attacks on neighbouring settlements. The commissioner said the swift deployment of personnel helped avert wider casualties and a potential breakdown of law and order.

He said tactical teams, mobile police units, intelligence operatives, and the divisional police leadership in Ikoyi had been sent to secure the area, recover evidence and strengthen surveillance.

“In furtherance of ongoing security measures, the Commissioner of Police directed the reinforcement of deployed personnel, including the deployment of additional intelligence operatives, alongside tactical teams and mobile personnel, to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response capabilities within the axis.

“The command will leave no stone unturned in identifying, arresting and prosecuting those behind this heinous act,” the statement said.

He further assured that those preliminary investigations have already produced promising leads.

The police also confirmed that the remains of the five fallen officers had been evacuated and that forensic teams had combed the site for evidence.

Mr Haruna thanked the Inspector-General of Police for supporting the command’s operational capacity and urged residents to remain calm and volunteer credible information that could aid the ongoing investigation.