Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised a suspected criminal and recovered an AK-47 rifle during an operation against suspected criminal elements in the Old Oyo National Park.
The operation, conducted by troops of Operation IGBO DANU II under the Army’s 2 Division, in collaboration with hybrid forces, also led to the recovery of an empty magazine and a Dane gun.
The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement shared on its official X account on Monday, saying the encounter occurred on November 7, 2026, when troops conducting operations within the park sighted suspected criminals.
According to the Army, the suspects fled upon sighting the advancing troops, abandoning their weapons in the process.
A follow-up search of the area on November 8 led to the discovery of the body of one of the fleeing suspects.
The military also disclosed that temporary shelters believed to have been used as hideouts by the suspected criminals were destroyed during the operation.
“The operation further degraded the operational capabilities of the fleeing elements and denied them safe havens within the forested area,” the Army stated.
It added that troops were continuing efforts to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent them from regrouping.
“The Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security stakeholders, remains resolute in sustaining operations to dismantle criminal networks, deny them safe havens and restore security across the 2 Division Area of Responsibility,” the statement added.
The latest operation comes amid growing security concerns over the use of forest reserves in parts of the South-West as hideouts by armed groups involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities.
In October 2026, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, announced that the Army had taken over the Old Oyo National Park as a military training ground on the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu.
Mahmuda said the move followed the abduction of more than 40 schoolchildren and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with the military seeking to strengthen its presence in the forest and prevent further attacks.
The Old Oyo National Park, which covers approximately 2,512 square kilometres in northern Oyo State, is known for its wildlife, forest vegetation and historical sites, including the ruins of the ancient Oyo Empire.
