The Oyo State Police Command has arrested seven
suspected members of a notorious armed banditry gang linked to the deadly
attack on Old Oyo National Park, including the alleged mastermind behind the
operation.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by
the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Alayande, who said the arrests
followed a coordinated operation involving combined security forces.
According to the police, the suspects were part of a
10-man armed gang responsible for the January 6, 2026, attack on the park’s
Oloka axis in Orire Local Government Area, during which five people were
killed.
The attack reportedly occurred around 9 p.m. when
heavily armed bandits stormed the National Park office on motorcycles, opening
fire on forest rangers and other personnel with sophisticated weapons.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in
Oyo State, Femi Haruna, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and
intelligence assets to the area and directed the Command Monitoring Unit to
take over investigations.
DSP Alayande explained that the move triggered an
intensive, intelligence-driven operation that first led to the arrest of three
suspects — Mohammed Dangi (52), Abubakar Abdullahi, and Sheu Usman — before
four more suspects were later apprehended across different locations in the
country.
The four additional suspects, arrested on January 25,
2026, were identified as Toro Malami (43), Usman Alhaji Ummaru, Laolo Muhammadu
(22), and Usman Alhaji Isah (32). One of them is believed to be the ringleader
of the attack.
Police said the suspects confessed to the crime and
revealed that 10 gang members, riding on five motorcycles, carried out the
assault.
Investigations further showed that the attackers’ main
objective was to forcibly free members of their criminal syndicate who had
earlier been arrested and detained by forest guards for various offences within
the National Park and neighbouring communities — a mission they reportedly
accomplished during the attack.
The Command noted that the arrested suspects have
continued to provide useful and actionable intelligence, aiding ongoing efforts
to track down other fleeing members of the gang.
The Oyo State Police Command reassured residents of
its commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging the public to
avoid spreading unverified information capable of causing panic.
The Command also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for
his consistent support toward strengthening security in the state, as well as
the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for his leadership and
operational backing.
Comments:
Leave a Reply