Multiple operatives belonging to Iru Ekun, a private security outfit established by Yoruba self-determination activist Sunday Adeyemo (widely known as Sunday Igboho), have sustained injuries following a fierce gun duel with suspected cross-border bandits inside the Old Oyo National Park.
The violent encounter occurred during a strategic security sweep aimed at flushing out kidnapping syndicates and armed gangs nesting within the vast forest reserve.
Drone surveillance met with heavy fire
Prior to entering the rugged terrain, the Iru Ekun security team deployed surveillance drones to map out the forest canopy, identify criminal hideouts, and track the coordinates of armed groups.
However, despite taking tactical precautions, the operatives walked into an ambush laid by heavily armed men suspected to be members of international criminal networks operating across regional borders.
The attackers opened fire on the advancing security personnel, sparking a prolonged and intense gun battle deep within the forest.
While several members of Sunday Igboho’s security detachment suffered various degrees of gunshot wounds, the exact casualty count remains unconfirmed at the time of filing this report. Despite the element of surprise, the private security guards put up stiff resistance, though the number of casualties suffered by the bandits could not be independently verified.
Rising insecurity in Oyo forest corridors
The expansive Old Oyo National Park and its connecting forest networks have increasingly become flashpoints for criminal activity. Kidnapping cartels and armed herders have weaponised the thick foliage to stage raids on surrounding agricultural communities, sparking widespread terror among local residents.
This latest clash underscores a terrifying surge of insecurity in the Oriire Local Government Area and adjacent zones.
Just recently, daring armed gangs targeted educational institutions in the area, abducting several pupils and faculty members. Among those taken was Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the principal of Community High School, Ahoro‑Esiele.
Escalating brutality by forest bandits
The threat landscape in Oyo State has grown increasingly grim. A captive teacher abducted alongside Mrs. Alamu, identified as Michael Oyedokun, was brutally murdered by his captors. The terrorists released a horrific viral video showing the bound educator forced to plead for his life before being slaughtered.
The viral footage has sent shockwaves through the region, triggering severe panic across local schools. At the Ijeru Baptist Basic School, academic activities ground to a halt as terrified parents stormed the premises to withdraw their children from classrooms.
With multiple videos of captive teachers circulating online, local communities are calling for urgent, coordinated intervention from both state authorities and federal security agencies to prevent the complete collapse of education and farming in northern Oyo State.
Read Also: Police dismiss reports of hostage release by bandits after Sunday Igboho’s two-hour ultimatum
