A tragic and targeted assault by suspected bandits has resulted in the death of five park rangers in Oloka village, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The attack occurred on Tuesday night around 10:00 pm, directly targeting officials of the National Park Service (NPS) stationed in the community.
According to the village head, Chief Joel Olatunde Alagbe, the assailants arrived on motorcycles and opened fire on the rangers while they were having dinner outside their office. Oloka village shares a border with a national park, where the rangers were based.
Chief Alagbe reported that one victim showed signs of severe burns, suggesting the possible use of explosives in the attack. After carrying out the assault, the gunmen fled into the nearby forest, which is believed to be part of the national park corridor.
Local residents revealed that the attackers had previously issued threats, indicating the attack was premeditated. A security observer noted that the incident appeared to be a deliberate strike, as no villagers were harmed and no property was damaged—only the park rangers were targeted.
Police authorities from the Owode Ogbomoso Division have confirmed the incident, adding that the case has been escalated to higher command levels in Ibadan for further investigation.
Chief Alagbe has appealed to state and federal authorities to urgently enhance security in communities bordering national parks to prevent further violence. He also reported that the suspected bandits were sighted again near the village on Wednesday morning but retreated without engaging.
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