FURTHER details have emerged from last Tuesday’s attack on the Old Oyo National Park office in Oloka village, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The attack, which bandits reportedly carried out from Baruten and Kaiama axes of Kwara State, was defined by security sources as a lone attack, meant as retaliation against the activities of the forest guards in the park.

It was gathered that some bandit groups had made attempts to penetrate the park for some time but were checkmated by a combined team of security operatives in the intelligence network and the military.

However, the arrest of some illegal miners by the forest guards was said to have triggered the bandits’ attack.

Sources close to the ongoing investigation told the Nigerian Tribune that some legal and illegal miners actually cohabit in the park area and that the forest guards, who are variously controlled by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, regularly carry out raids and arrests of illegal persons operating in the park.

Although the forest guards operate within the park, which is located in Oyo State, it was gathered that the head of the guards, designated as Chief of Park (CP), takes orders only from Abuja.

A source stated that the January 6 attack was instigated by some illegal miners, who were apparently infuriated by the arrest of their cohorts and rather than enter into negotiation to secure the release of their colleagues, decided to contact the bandits who have been operating in the Baruten and Kaiama axes.

It was gathered that while the forest guards were still interrogating the apprehended illegal miners and suspected herders, the attackers stormed the park, killing five persons and carting away motorcycles and rifles.

The attackers took away three motorcycles and some FN rifles.

It was discovered that they destroyed the pump-action rifles seized from their victims.

Out of the three motorbikes carted away, two are Bajaj, and one is described as a TVS motorbike.

The two Bajaj motorcycles were earlier seized from the illegal miners, while the TVS bike belonged to a vigilante member, a source stated.

Another source stated: “The attackers are bandits, but it is clear that illegal miners and some herders who believed that they have axes to grind with the forest guards liaised with the bandits to instigate the attack at the Oloka village, some 30 minutes’ drive from Ikoyi Ile. They opened fire on the guards on duty and burnt down the place designated as a detention camp. There are reports that they also set one of their victims on fire.”

It was also gathered that the bandits took away two Bajaj motorcycles earlier seized from the illegal miners and one other motorcycle said to belong to a staff member of the park.

While giving further details on the identity of the victims, a source said that three of the victims were forest guards, while two were vigilante team members.

The sources, however, said that a combined team of security operatives, including the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the police is already on the trail of the bandits, while some of the forest guards have faced interrogation.

Meanwhile, Oluyole Local Government Area of the state has reviewed the bandits’ attacks on the NPS at Oloka community in Oriire, as well rolled out measures to prevent such attacks in the area.

The council boss, Akeem Olatunji, at a meeting which had in attendance traditional rulers, security agencies, community leaders and local government officials, reviewed the situation and agreed on proactive measures to safeguard communities within Oluyole Local Government Area.

According to him, the responsibility of local governments is to support the security architecture being driven by Governor Seyi Makinde.

“We cannot wait for an incident to occur before taking action. Our role is to complement the efforts of the governor by securing our local government against any form of invasion, and we are committed to doing everything humanly possible to secure the lives of our people in Oluyole Local Government Area,” he said. (Nigerian Tribune)

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