Multiple Injuries Reported After Suspected Bandits Attack Igboho Security Team in Oyo Forest

By Adeola Badru

Several members of a private security group associated with Yoruba Nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo, known as Sunday Igboho, were injured when suspected cross‑border bandits ambushed them during an operation in Old Oyo National Park, Oyo State.

The incident happened as Iru Ekun operatives, a security outfit linked to Igboho, conducted a mission to locate and remove suspected kidnappers and other armed criminals believed to be active in the forest reserve.

Sources familiar with the mission said the team used surveillance drones to locate suspected hideouts and track the movements of armed groups before moving into the area.

However, the mission turned violent when the operatives were reportedly attacked by heavily armed men believed to belong to cross‑border criminal networks.

Sources said the bandits opened fire on the advancing security personnel, sparking a fierce gun battle within the forest.

Several Iru Ekun members were reportedly wounded by gunfire during the exchange, but the exact number of injured had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting.

The incident has raised concerns about the activities of suspected kidnappers, bandits and other armed groups operating in forests and remote communities across parts of the South‑West.

Attempts to secure a response from the Oyo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls to the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, went unanswered at the time of filing.