IBADAN — Governor Seyi Makinde has strongly condemned a "senseless and devastating" cross-border attack by bandits on the National Park Service (NPS) office in Oloka Village, near Ogbomoso, which resulted in the tragic deaths of five forest guard officers on Tuesday night, January 6, 2026. 

The attack occurred at approximately 9:00 p.m. in the Oriire Local Government Area. Preliminary investigations by security agencies suggest the perpetrators were bandits who crossed state borders to carry out the assault before retreating. 

In a statement released Wednesday, Governor Makinde described the loss of the personnel as a "devastating blow" to the state`s security architecture, noting that the officers were killed while carrying out their lawful duties to protect the nation’s natural resources. 

“This is a heartbreaking loss of dedicated personnel,” the Governor stated. “Our administration will leave no stone unturned to respond decisively and prevent a recurrence of such attacks. We are committed to ensuring that those who seek to disrupt the peace of Oyo State are brought to justice.” 

The Governor appealed for calm among residents of Oriire and other border local government areas, confirming that normalcy has been restored following the deployment of additional security personnel to the region. 

 A combined team of security agencies, including the military and police, has been deployed to flashpoints along the Ogbomoso border to forestall further incursions.

 Authorities are urging residents to cooperate with security forces by providing actionable intelligence to aid ongoing investigations.

 The Oyo State government has vowed to strengthen the protection of its forest reserves and parks, ensuring they do not become safe havens for criminal elements. 

The Oyo State Police Command, through Public Relations Officer Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident and noted that a manhunt for the attackers is currently underway.