Several Injured as Suspected Bandits Ambush Sunday Igboho’s Security Team in Oyo Forest

Several members of a private security outfit linked to Yoruba Nation campaigner, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, have reportedly sustained injuries after suspected cross-border bandits ambushed them during a security operation inside the Old Oyo National Park in Oyo State.

The incident occurred during an operation by operatives of Iru Ekun, a security outfit associated with Igboho, who were said to be tracking suspected kidnappers and other armed criminal groups believed to be operating within the expansive forest reserve.

According to sources familiar with the operation, the security team deployed surveillance drones to identify suspected criminal camps and monitor the movement of armed groups before advancing into the forest.

However, the operation reportedly turned violent when the operatives came under heavy gunfire from suspected bandits believed to be part of cross-border criminal networks operating within the area.

The attack triggered a fierce exchange of gunfire between the security operatives and the suspected criminals.

Sources said several members of the Iru Ekun team sustained gunshot injuries during the confrontation. However, the exact number of casualties has not been officially confirmed.

The incident has renewed concerns over the activities of kidnappers, bandits and other armed groups who have continued to exploit forests and remote communities across parts of the South-West as operational hideouts.

As of the time of filing this report, the Oyo State Police Command had yet to comment on the incident. Efforts to obtain an official reaction were unsuccessful, as calls placed to the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, were not answered.

Authorities are yet to release an official account of the operation or provide details on the condition of the injured operatives.