The Nigerian Army has taken over the Old Oyo National Park and designated the vast forest as a training area following the abduction and eventual rescue of more than 40 pupils and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The Punch reported that the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Auwalu Mahmuda, disclosed this on Wednesday when he received members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council, at the division’s headquarters in Odogbo, Akinyele Local Government Area.
Mahmuda said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuaibu, directed the 2 Division to utilise the park as a training ground in a bid to stop criminals from using the expansive forest as a hideout.
He said the military takeover followed the rescue of the Oriire kidnap victims and would make the area inaccessible to kidnappers and other criminals.
“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, when gunmen attacked three schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims were eventually rescued by joint security operatives on July 10, 2026, after 56 days in captivity.
The Army chief also urged journalists to strengthen their verification process and consult security authorities before publishing reports, warning that misinformation could worsen security challenges.
“I will appeal to you to avoid publishing information without first confirming its exact and true nature with the military. Sometimes, when unverified information is released, it can cause more harm than the information it intended to address,” he said.
Mahmuda stressed that the Nigerian Army regarded journalists as partners in the fight against insecurity and urged both sides to maintain closer cooperation.
“I want to reassure you that the Nigerian Army sees journalists as partners, but they are also expected to play their part in demonstrating clearly that they are partners of the Nigerian Army,” he said.
He commended journalists for reporting the activities of the 2 Division and acknowledged the risks they take while covering events in difficult and dangerous locations.
“I have seen journalists go to places where other civilians dare to set their foot. They put themselves in difficult and dangerous situations simply to obtain accurate information that can be shared with the public,” he said.
Mahmuda also promised military support for the Correspondents’ Chapel, particularly in training and medical outreach programmes ahead of its forthcoming Press Week.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Yinka Adeniran, praised the 2 Division for its security efforts in Oyo State, especially the successful rescue of the Oriire victims.
He also appealed to the division to support the chapel’s Press Week through lectures and health outreach for journalists.
