Troops of the Nigerian Army have recovered an AK-47 rifle and destroyed suspected criminal hideouts during an operation in the Old Oyo National Park, Oyo State, amid continued efforts to prevent armed groups from using the vast forest as a haven.
The operation, conducted on November 7 and 8 by troops of Operation IGBO DANU II under the Army’s 2 Division, also led to the recovery of an empty magazine and a locally made Dane gun.
During a follow-up operation, soldiers also discovered the corpse of one of the suspected criminals who fled after an encounter with troops inside the park.
The Nigerian Army disclosed the development in a statement published on Monday, saying the operation was conducted in collaboration with hybrid forces.
According to the Army, troops encountered suspected criminal elements on November 7 while conducting operations within the park.
The suspects fled after sighting the advancing soldiers.
The troops subsequently recovered an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine and a Dane gun, which the Army said had further weakened the operational capabilities of the fleeing group.
A follow-up operation the next day led to the discovery of the corpse of one of the fleeing suspects.
Soldiers also destroyed temporary shelters believed to have been used as hideouts by criminal elements operating within the forest.
“Exploitation of the general area is ongoing to track fleeing elements and prevent their regrouping,” the Army said.
The military said the operation was part of sustained efforts to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt their activities and deny armed groups access to forested areas as operational bases.
The development is significant given the security concerns surrounding Old Oyo National Park, particularly following the abduction of 46 pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area in May.
The victims, comprising 39 pupils and seven teachers, were abducted on May 15 and taken into the forest.
They were eventually rescued on July 10 after weeks of military and multi-agency operations.
Security operations in the area were reportedly complicated by the difficult terrain, with agencies focusing on intelligence gathering and efforts to dismantle the kidnappers’ networks, informants and hideouts.
In October, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Major-General Auwalu Mahmuda, disclosed that the Army had taken over the entire stretch of the Old Oyo National Park as a training ground.
Mahmuda said the move, ordered by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shuaibu, was intended to prevent kidnappers and other criminal groups from returning to the forest and establishing new hideouts.
Operation IGBO DANU II is focused on flushing out armed groups and denying criminal elements safe havens in forested areas.
