Troops of the Nigerian Army have recovered an AK-47 rifle and discovered the corpse of a suspected bandit in Old Oyo National Park. The operations were conducted under Operation IGBO DANU II. The report was made available on Sunday.
Old Oyo National Park is in Oyo State and spans about 2,500 square kilometres. It has become a corridor for armed groups moving between the southwest and the north-central. In 2023, security forces raided camps in the park. In 2024, the Oyo State Government raised alarm over bandit infiltration. The park’s dense vegetation and limited patrols make it attractive to criminal networks. The current operation continues that enforcement effort.
Troops, working with hybrid forces, engaged suspected bandits on Saturday. The bandits fled when they saw the advancing troops. The troops recovered an AK-47 rifle with registration number 14907, an empty magazine and a Dane gun. During a follow-up operation on Sunday, the troops discovered the corpse of a suspected bandit. They also destroyed temporary shelters suspected of being used as hideouts. The troops continued to search the area. No further contact was recorded.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts to deny criminal elements safe havens in the park and strengthen security within the operational area. The Army did not disclose whether the dead suspect was killed in Saturday’s engagement or died of injuries. It did not say how many bandits escaped. It did not name any group. The police have not commented. The identity of the dead suspect remains unknown.
Recovering an AK-47 with a serial number is significant. It allows the Army to trace the weapon’s origin. It may link to previous attacks or arms trafficking networks. Destroying shelters disrupts temporary camps. The bandits will rebuild elsewhere. The park is vast. The troops can search one sector at a time.
Winners: The Army, which demonstrates capacity. Communities around the park, who gain temporary relief. The intelligence network, which produced the targeting. Losers: The bandits, who lost a rifle and a camp. The dead suspect. The fleeing suspects, who remain at large. Travellers and farmers near the park, who remain at risk. The park’s ecosystem, which suffers from criminal activity.
Bottom Line: An AK-47 and a corpse. Shelters destroyed. The Army is clearing the park. The bandits will return. The park needs permanent security, not periodic raids. Until that happens, the hideouts will be rebuilt.