Key Points
- Travellers escaped a suspected bandit attack near Old Oyo National Park in Igbeti, Oyo State, on Sunday after receiving a phone warning just before reaching the reserve.
- A separate attack at the same location on Friday killed one person and injured another, signaling a dangerous pattern of violence in the corridor.
- Amotekun Corps and other security agencies have mobilized to track suspects, while the Oyo State police spokesperson promised a formal statement pending full details.
A group of travellers narrowly escaped a suspected bandit attack near the Old Oyo National Park in Igbeti community, Oyo State, on Sunday morning, raising fresh alarm over worsening insecurity around one of Nigeria’s most prominent national reserves.
One traveller recounted that the group received a phone call warning them of the strike just before they reached the park. At about 11:30 a.m., as the group approached the reserve, an Amotekun vehicle overtook them and later stopped at Igbeti. The travellers approached the operatives, who confirmed that an attack had taken place but declined to provide further details.
“The operative said they were about to mobilize other security operatives to take action,” the source said.
Friday attack compounds security fears
Critically, Sunday’s incident was not isolated. A separate deadly attack had already occurred in the vicinity of the park on Friday, killing one person and injuring another. A source said the driver of the targeted vehicle refused to stop, which likely prevented further casualties.
Together, the two incidents have deepened anxiety among residents and motorists traveling through the corridor. Security concerns in the area have grown steadily, particularly following the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Orire Local Government Area, also in Oyo State.
Amotekun Corps operatives and other security personnel are currently monitoring the situation and tracking developments around the park. The Old Oyo National Park spans parts of Oyo State and neighboring Kwara State, and authorities have long noted that criminal elements exploit its forested terrain as cover for operations.
Police promise statement as pressure mounts
Oyo State Police spokesperson SP Olayinka Ayanlade acknowledged the incident when contacted Sunday. However, he said an official statement would only follow once full details were confirmed.
“A statement will be released once I get the full details of the incident,” Ayanlade said.
Notably, no group had claimed responsibility for either attack as of Sunday evening. Still, the back-to-back incidents fit a broader pattern of armed group activity reported across forest reserves and remote areas in Nigeria’s South-West and North-Central regions. Security analysts and community leaders have repeatedly called on federal and state authorities to intensify surveillance and deploy additional forces to protect travelers and residents near high-risk corridors such as the Old Oyo National Park.