Troops operating under the Nigerian Army have successfully dismantled suspected criminal hideouts and recovered an AK-47 rifle during a security sweep within the Old Oyo National Park. The two-day operation, executed on November 7 and 8, forms part of broader military initiatives to dislodge armed syndicates utilizing dense forest reserves as safe havens for illicit activities.
Executed by personnel attached to Operation IGBO DANU II under the army's 2 Division in collaboration with hybrid forces, the clearance patrol led to the retrieval of firearms and the destruction of makeshift camps. A follow-up sweep on the second day also yielded the corpse of a suspected outlaw who had escaped during the initial contact.
What transpired during the military sweep?
On November 7, ground troops patrolling the park encountered armed elements. Upon sighting the advancing soldiers, the suspects fled deeper into the brush. Subsequent searches of the area by the military resulted in the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, and a Dane gun.
In an official statement released on Monday, the military authorities confirmed the developments, noting that the operation significantly degraded the operational capabilities of the fleeing elements.
“On 7 November 2026, troops conducting operations within the park engaged suspected criminal elements who fled upon sighting the advancing troops,” the statement read.
During subsequent exploitation of the area on November 8, soldiers discovered the body of one of the suspects. Troops also flattened temporary shelters erected within the forest canopy, which intelligence reports indicated were used by criminal networks to coordinate operations.
The military high command emphasized that surveillance and patrols remain active across the general zone to track down surviving members and prevent them from regrouping. While the identity of the deceased individual and the precise coordinates of the encounter were withheld, officials reiterated their commitment to denying outlaws access to forested sanctuaries.
Background and prior security challenges
The sweep follows the introduction of Operation IGBO DANU, also referred to as Operation Forest Flush, which commenced in January to target bandit enclaves across the region. The Old Oyo National Park has faced mounting scrutiny due to its vulnerability to infiltration by kidnappers and other violent groups.
Concerns surrounding the security of the conservation area peaked following a major incident earlier in the year when dozens of students and instructors were abducted from schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and driven into the park. The victims spent weeks in captivity before security agencies successfully secured their release following coordinated intelligence-led rescue missions.
In response to these persistent threats, the General Officer Commanding the 2 Division announced that the military had assumed control of the entire park, repurposing parts of it as a tactical training ground to permanently deter criminal infiltration.