The Oyo State Police Command has announced the arrest of seven suspected members of an armed banditry gang linked to the January 6, 2026, attack on the Old Oyo National Park, Oloka area of Orire Local Government Area, which claimed the lives of five people.
The arrests, described by the police as a major operational breakthrough, were confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Alayande.
According to him, the suspects were apprehended through a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation involving combined security forces.
Alayande said the seven suspects include the alleged mastermind and ringleader of the 10-man gang responsible for the brutal assault on forest rangers and other operatives attached to the National Park.
The attack occurred at about 9 p.m. on January 6, when armed bandits reportedly stormed the park office in large numbers on motorcycles, wielding sophisticated firearms. The assailants overpowered security personnel at the facility, leading to the death of five forest rangers and operatives in what police described as a carefully coordinated operation.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Femi Haruna, ordered the immediate deployment of operational assets to the affected area and directed the Command Monitoring Unit to take over the investigation.
This marked the beginning of an intensive manhunt that initially led to the arrest of three suspects before four additional arrests were made across different locations in the country.
The first three suspects arrested were identified as Mohammed Dangi (52), Abubakar Abdullahi, and Sheu Usman. Their arrest, police said, provided critical intelligence that enabled operatives to track and apprehend four other members of the gang, including the alleged ringleader.
The additional suspects arrested on January 25, 2026, were named as Toro Malami (43), Usman Alhaji Ummaru, Laolo Muhammadu (22), and Usman Alhaji Isah (32).
According to the police, the suspects confessed to participating in the attack and disclosed that 10 members of their syndicate, riding on five motorcycles, carried out the operation.
Investigations revealed that the primary motive of the attack was to forcibly free gang members earlier arrested by forest guards for criminal activities within the National Park and surrounding communities, an objective they reportedly achieved during the assault.
The Command said the arrested suspects have continued to provide credible and actionable intelligence, aiding ongoing efforts to track down other fleeing members of the gang.
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety, the Oyo State Police Command urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information capable of inciting fear or undermining public order.
The Command also expressed gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde for his sustained support in strengthening the state’s security framework, and commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his leadership, strategic direction, and operational backing.