Several members of a private security outfit linked to Yoruba Nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, were reportedly injured after suspected cross-border bandits allegedly ambushed them during an operation in the Old Oyo National Park in Oyo State.
The incident reportedly occurred while operatives of Iru Ekun, a security outfit associated with Igboho, were carrying out an operation to track and dislodge suspected kidnappers and other armed criminals believed to be operating within the expansive forest reserve.
Sources familiar with the operation said the team deployed surveillance drones to identify suspected criminal hideouts and monitor the movements of armed groups before advancing into the area.
However, the mission reportedly turned violent when the operatives allegedly came under attack from heavily armed men believed to be members of cross-border criminal networks.
According to the sources, the suspected bandits opened fire on the advancing security personnel, triggering a fierce gun battle inside the forest.
Several members of the Iru Ekun team were reportedly wounded by gunfire during the exchange. However, the exact number of those injured had not been officially confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has heightened concerns over the activities of suspected kidnappers, bandits and other armed groups operating in forests and remote communities across parts of the South-West.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Oyo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls placed to the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, were not answered as of the time of filing this report.