AT least five personnel of the National Park Service (NPS) are feared dead following a deadly attack by gunmen on the agency’s office in Oloka community, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The attack, which occurred at about 9:00pm on Tuesday, threw the quiet agrarian community into panic, as residents reportedly fled their homes amid sporadic gunshots and confusion.
Sources told News Point Nigeria that the assailants, suspected to be armed bandits, stormed the National Park Service office under the cover of darkness and opened fire on personnel stationed at the facility.
Unconfirmed reports indicated that no fewer than five NPS operatives were killed during the assault, while others sustained injuries.
A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers were heavily armed and operated for several minutes without resistance.
“We heard loud gunshots around the park office late in the night. People started running for safety. It was terrifying. We later heard that some park officers were killed,” the resident said.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear as of press time, but the incident has raised renewed concerns over the worsening security situation around forest reserves and national parks, which have increasingly become hideouts for criminal elements across the country.
Confirming the incident, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security agencies were already responding to the situation.
“Yes, there was an attack by yet-to-be-identified men against personnel of the National Park Service,” Ayanlade said.
He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Femi Haruna, alongside other security chiefs, had moved to the scene to assess the situation and coordinate a security response.
“The Commissioner of Police has deployed tactical teams, Mobile Police Force officers of the Nigeria Police Force, and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit to the affected area to prevent further breakdown of law and order,” he added.
Ayanlade noted that investigations had commenced to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, assuring residents that security agencies were working to restore calm in the area.
The National Park Service has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, including confirmation of casualties or damage to the facility.
As of the time of filing this report, security presence had been reinforced in the area, while tension remained high among residents fearful of possible reprisal attacks.