The Nigerian Army has taken over the entire stretch of the Old Oyo National Park in Oyo State and converted it into a training ground following the abduction of more than 40 pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
The move, according to the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Auwalu Mahmuda, is aimed at preventing kidnappers and other criminals from returning to the vast forest, which had been used as a hideout.
Mahmuda disclosed this on Wednesday when he received members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council, at the division’s headquarters in Odogbo, Akinyele Local Government Area.
He said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuaibu, directed the 2 Division to use the park as a training site after the successful rescue of the victims of the Oriire kidnapping.
According to him, the military takeover would make the forest inaccessible to criminals seeking to use it as a base for their operations.
“The order came after the rescue of the victims of the Oriire kidnap. By taking it over, the park has become a no-go area for kidnappers and other men of the underworld using the large forest as a base for their nefarious activities.
“On the order of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuaibu, the 2 Division has taken over the entire stretch of the Old Oyo National Park as a training site in order to prevent a repeat of the Oriire kidnap saga.
“With the 2 Division fully utilising the park, it will be a herculean task for men of the underworld to use it as their hideout,” Mahmuda said.
More than 40 pupils and their teachers were abducted on May 15, 2026, during coordinated attacks on three schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle in Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims spent 56 days in captivity before joint security operatives rescued them on July 10.
The GOC also urged journalists to strengthen their collaboration with security agencies, particularly by verifying information before publication.
He warned that the spread of unverified information could worsen security situations, stressing that the Army regarded the media as a partner in the fight against insecurity.
Mahmuda called for closer cooperation between journalists and security agencies to ensure that the public receives accurate information about ongoing security operations.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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