Several operatives of Iru Ekun, a private security outfit affiliated with Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, have reportedly sustained injuries following an ambush by suspected bandits in the Old Oyo National Park.
The incident occurred during a security operation aimed at flushing out kidnappers and other armed criminal groups believed to be operating within the vast forest reserve.
According to sources familiar with the operation, the security team first deployed surveillance drones to identify suspected hideouts and monitor the movements of armed groups before advancing into the area.
However, the operation reportedly took a violent turn when heavily armed men, believed to be members of cross-border criminal gangs, opened fire on the operatives, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire deep inside the forest.
Several members of the Iru Ekun team were reportedly wounded during the confrontation, although authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of casualties.
The attack has renewed concerns over the growing presence of kidnappers, bandits, and other armed groups operating in forests and remote communities across the South-West.
As of the time of filing this report, the Oyo State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident. Efforts to reach the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, for comments were unsuccessful.
