The tension currently gripping Ikoyi Ile has been heightened by memories of a recent deadly attack on security personnel in the same local government area.
It will be recalled that suspected bandits recently carried out a violent assault on the National Park Service office at Oloka Community in Oriire Local Government Area, an attack that claimed the lives of five forest rangers.
Investigations revealed that the assailants not only killed the rangers but also made away with their pump action rifles and two motorcycles belonging to the deceased officers, further compounding security concerns in the area.
7 Things to Know About Chelsea’s appointment of Liam Rosenior
Sources familiar with the incident disclosed that the rangers were likely having a meal when the attackers infiltrated the facility and opened fire with AK 47 rifles, riddling the office walls with bullets.
Although it remains unclear how the attackers accessed the National Park office without detection, residents believe the bandits may have arrived on motorcycles parked at a distance to avoid attracting attention. Others suspect the assailants had been on surveillance for some time or trekked through forest routes before striking.
A credible source, who requested anonymity, revealed that a gas cylinder being used for cooking was hit during the gunfire, triggering an explosion and a fire outbreak. One of the forest rangers was reportedly burnt beyond recognition in the inferno that followed.
Further findings indicate that the National Park sits close to a forest corridor with established routes linking neighbouring states such as Niger and Kwara, as well as several other local government areas within Oyo State, making it strategically vulnerable.
Intelligence vs Diplomacy: Why U.S. Spy Reports Still See Putin Pushing Beyond Ukraine
Sunday Tribune also gathered that the slain rangers had recently arrested some suspected bandits and handed them over to the police, fuelling unconfirmed suspicions that the attack may have been a retaliatory strike rather than a kidnapping operation, as no abduction attempt was recorded.
Meanwhile, a forest ranger who narrowly escaped death during the assault sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital, where he received medical treatment.
The brutal killing of the rangers has since heightened fear across Oriire Local Government Area, providing troubling context to the latest threat notes discovered in Ikoyi Ile and reinforcing concerns among residents that the bandits’ warning may not be an empty threat.
