Gunmen launched a deadly surprise attack on the National Park Service office in Oloka village, Oyo State, on Tuesday night, killing at least five officers.
The assault, which took place around 9:00 p.m., reportedly caught the personnel off guard, with some said to have been resting when the bandits struck.
The attackers, suspected to be bandits, killed the officers, with some victims being shot and others burned to death before their weapons were stolen.
Relatives and community members have expressed deep shock and sorrow, with some families demanding the release of the victims’ remains for proper burial rites.
The Conservator of the Park, Tesleem Kareem, confirmed the attack and stated that authorities were in the process of evacuating the victims.
In response, the Oyo State Police Command has deployed tactical teams, Mobile Police Force officers, and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit to the area to restore order and track down the perpetrators.
The State’s Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, and other security chiefs are heading to the scene to personally assess the situation.
Local residents have voiced long-held fears about security, given the area’s proximity to forest corridors known to be used by armed groups.
