Members of the “Iru Ekun” security network, a private group associated with Yoruba activist Sunday Adeyemo—widely known as Sunday Igboho—sustained injuries following an ambush by suspected bandits in the Old Oyo National Park on Thursday…See more
The incident occurred as the security operatives conducted an operation to track and dislodge suspected kidnappers reportedly using the dense forest reserve as a hideout. According to reports from the field, the team had been utilizing surveillance drones to identify criminal positions before moving into the area. The mission, however, escalated into a violent confrontation when the operatives were engaged by heavily armed individuals believed to be part of a cross-border criminal network.
A fierce gun battle ensued within the forest, resulting in several members of the Iru Ekun team sustaining gunshot wounds. While reports confirm multiple injuries, official casualty figures remain unverified as of Friday morning.
This encounter underscores the intensifying security crisis within the South-West forest reserves, which have increasingly become sanctuaries for armed groups. The Iru Ekun security network, which Igboho recently launched with the stated goal of clearing forests of terrorists and kidnappers, has been actively patrolling areas across Oyo, Kwara, and Kogi states.
The Oyo State Police Command has yet to provide an official statement regarding the incident. Calls and messages directed to the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, went unanswered at the time of publication.
The ambush follows a series of recent forest inspections led by Sunday Igboho in the region, aimed at addressing the rise in kidnappings. The persistence of these criminal activities has prompted calls from various community leaders for more coordinated efforts between private security initiatives and state-sanctioned law enforcement agencies.See more
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