Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged residents of the state to remain calm following a deadly attack by gunmen on the National Park Service office at Oloka Village in Oriire Local Government Area.
The governor gave the assurance on Wednesday, stating that his administration would take decisive steps to prevent a recurrence of such attacks.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Makinde confirmed that the assault resulted in the death of five forest guards attached to the National Park Service.
“Earlier today, there was a criminal attack by bandits on the National Park Office at Oloka Village, which sadly claimed the lives of five forest guard officers who were carrying out their lawful duties,” the statement read.
Describing the incident as a tragic loss, the governor expressed condolences to the families of the deceased officers and prayed for the repose of their souls.
Makinde disclosed that preliminary findings by security agencies suggest the attack was carried out by bandits who crossed into the area from outside the state.
He added that security agencies have commenced coordinated operations to respond to the incident and are working to strengthen intelligence gathering in collaboration with local residents.
“Security agencies are already working together to address the situation. We also urge residents to cooperate by providing useful information that can aid ongoing investigations,” the governor said.
Makinde further appealed to communities in Oriire Local Government Area and other border areas of the state to remain calm, noting that normalcy has been restored with the deployment of additional security personnel to the affected area.
“Our administration will leave no stone unturned in responding decisively and ensuring that such attacks do not happen again,” he assured.
