The Nigerian Army’s 2 Division has permanently taken over the Old Oyo National Park. The park will serve as an active military training site. The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shuaibu, ordered the takeover. The goal is to prevent kidnappers and bandits from using the sprawling forest reserve as an operational hideout.
The Old Oyo National Park covers about 2,500 square kilometres. It spans Oyo and Kwara states. Its dense forest and limited road access have made it attractive to criminal groups. In recent years, bandits have used the park as a base for kidnappings. In 2024, security agencies reported that several abductees were held in the reserve. The park’s game rangers were not equipped to confront armed groups. The military’s permanent presence changes that.
The takeover follows the abduction of over 46 pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area. The victims spent 56 days in captivity. They were rescued in July through intelligence-led military operations. The General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major-General Mahmuda, confirmed the deployment. He said sustained military presence would maintain an aggressive stance against security threats in surrounding corridors.
Mahmuda appealed to media organisations. He asked them to verify security reports before publication. He said unverified reports could compromise operational integrity. He did not name specific outlets or reports. His appeal reflects military sensitivity to reporting on security operations.
Governor Seyi Makinde received the final report from a Judicial Commission of Inquiry. The commission investigated administrative failures that enabled the abductions. Its recommendations have not been made public. The government said it would act on them.
Winners: The military, which gains a strategic base. Communities around the park, which gain protection. The rescued victims, who see their abductors pushed back. The Oyo State Government, which shows action. Losers: Bandits and kidnappers, who lose a hideout. Poachers, who face military patrols. Park rangers, whose role is subordinated to the military. Communities displaced by military operations. The media, if verification demands limit reporting.
Bottom Line: The Army took over the park. Bandits used it for years. The military will use it for training. The hideout is closed. The abductions exposed a gap. The commission has reported. Implementation is the test. The park is now a barracks.