The Oyo State Police Command on Saturday said it recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of seven suspects in connection with the attack on the Old Oyo National Park, Oloka area, which claimed five lives.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Command, DSP Olayinka Alayande, who said the arrests were achieved through a coordinated onslaught by combined security forces.

“Sequel to its earlier press release on the armed banditry attack at the Old Oyo National Park, Oloka area of Orire Local Government Area, the Oyo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that the Command has recorded a significant operational breakthrough with the arrest of seven members of the dreaded 10-man armed banditry gang, including the alleged mastermind and ringleader of the attack, responsible for the brutal assault on forest rangers and operatives of the National Park,” the statement partly read.

The deadly attack occurred on January 6, 2026, at about 9 p.m., when armed bandits reportedly arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, armed with sophisticated firearms.

They invaded the Old Oyo National Park office and launched a violent attack on forest rangers and other personnel, resulting in the tragic death of five people.

In response to the attack, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, ordered the deployment of necessary operational assets to the affected area and directed the Command Monitoring Unit to take over the investigation.

“This directive marked the commencement of an intensive, intelligence-driven operation, which led to the initial arrest of three suspects, followed by the subsequent arrest of four additional suspects. The suspects were apprehended at their various hideouts across different locations in the country through painstaking, intelligence-led investigation,” DSP Alayande added.

The three suspects initially arrested were identified as Mohammed Dangi (male, 52), Abubakar Abdullahi (male), and Sheu Usman.

The arrests subsequently led to the apprehension of four additional suspects, including the alleged mastermind of the attack.

“The suspects confessed to the crime and provided detailed accounts of how 10 members of their armed banditry group, riding on five motorcycles, carried out the attack.

“The primary intention of the assailants was to forcefully free members of their armed banditry syndicate who had earlier been arrested and were in the custody of forest guards for various criminal activities within the National Park and adjoining communities, which they successfully did during the attack,” the statement added.

The four additional suspects arrested on January 25, 2026, from their various hideouts were identified as Toro Malami (male, 43), Usman Alhaji Ummaru (male), Laolo Muhammadu (male, 22), and Usman Alhaji Isah (male, 32).

The Command stated that the arrested suspects, including the alleged mastermind and ringleader, had continued to provide credible and actionable intelligence, thereby strengthening ongoing efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang.

The Oyo State Police Command reassured residents of the state of its commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified or misleading information capable of creating panic and undermining public peace.

It also expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde for his unwavering support and commitment to strengthening the state’s security architecture.

It further commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for his sustained leadership, strategic guidance, and operational support. (Channels TV)

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