Residents of Oloka village in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have continued to flee the community following a deadly bandit attack on the National Park Service office earlier in the week, despite the deployment of heavy security personnel to the area.
Locals say they are still grappling with shock, fear and psychological trauma after suspected bandits stormed the village on Tuesday, January 6, k!lling at least five forest guards and sending residents scrambling for safety. Many homes remain locked, streets deserted, and commercial and social activities have ground to a halt.
A resident, who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity, described Oloka as “empty,” saying some villagers had already taken refuge in neighbouring communities while others were staying behind only because of the presence of security operatives.
Residents expressed uncertainty about returning to normal life, saying the attack had crippled livelihoods and fractured the community’s sense of security. They urged the state government and security agencies to establish permanent security posts in the village to prevent a recurrence.
Chairman of Orire Local Government Area, Micheal Alabi, said authorities were taking decisive steps to address the situation and restore peace, adding that efforts were underway to “rejig the security architecture” of the area.
The Oyo State Police Command on Wednesday, January 7, recovered the bodies of the five forest rangers k!lled in the attack. Commissioner of Police Femi Haruna led an assessment visit to the scene alongside other security chiefs and the Commandant of the National Forest Rangers.
To calm tensions, the CP ordered the deployment of tactical units, including Mobile Police officers and explosive ordnance teams, to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
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