Several operatives of Iru Ekun, the private security outfit belonging to Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, were reportedly injured after suspected bandits launched a deadly ambush during a security operation in the Old Oyo National Park.
The operatives were said to be on a mission to track down and flush out suspected kidnappers and other armed criminals believed to be hiding within the vast forest reserve when the attack occurred.
Sources familiar with the operation disclosed that the team had deployed surveillance drones to identify suspected criminal camps and monitor the movements of armed groups before advancing into the area.
However, the operation reportedly took a dangerous turn when heavily armed men, believed to be members of cross-border criminal networks, opened fire on the security personnel.
The surprise attack triggered a fierce gun battle deep inside the forest, leaving several members of the Iru Ekun outfit wounded by gunfire.
Although multiple injuries were reported, the exact number of affected operatives had not been officially confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has renewed fears over the growing activities of kidnappers, bandits and other armed groups operating across forests and remote communities in the South-West region.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Oyo State Police Command proved unsuccessful, as calls placed to the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, were not answered at the time of reporting.
