Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised a suspected criminal and recovered an AK-47 rifle during an operation at the Old Oyo National Park.
The operation, conducted by troops of Operation IGBO DANU II under the 2 Division Nigerian Army in collaboration with hybrid forces, also led to the recovery of other weapons and the destruction of temporary shelters believed to have served as hideouts for criminal elements.
Operation IGBO DANU II is a counter-criminal operation being conducted by the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division to flush out armed groups and deny them safe havens in forested areas.
The operation follows the launch of Operation IGBO DANU, also known as Operation Forest Flush, in January 2026, which targeted bandit enclaves in Kwara State.
The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement published on its official website on Monday, detailing the operation conducted on November 7 and 8, 2026.
According to the statement, the troops engaged suspected criminal elements during an operation within the park on November 7, but the suspects fled upon sighting the advancing soldiers.
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👉 JOIN GISTSMATE WHATSAPP CHANNELThe Army said, “The troops subsequently recovered one AK-47 rifle, one empty magazine and one Dane gun, further degrading the operational capabilities of the fleeing elements.”
During a follow-up operation on November 8, the troops discovered the corpse of one of the fleeing suspects, confirming the neutralisation of one criminal element.
The statement added, “The troops also destroyed temporary shelters believed to have served as hideouts, further disrupting criminal activities and denying the perpetrators safe havens within the forested area.”
The Army said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks and prevent them from using forested areas as hideouts.
It stated that the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security stakeholders, remained committed to sustaining operations to restore security across the 2 Division Area of Responsibility.
“Exploitation of the general area is ongoing to track fleeing elements and prevent their regrouping,” the statement added.
GISTSMATE MEDIA reports that the Army’s statement does not identify the deceased suspect, specify the exact location of the encounter within the park or name the other weapons beyond the AK-47, empty magazine and Dane gun.
Oriire Abduction
The latest operation comes months after the abduction of 46 pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026.
The victims were reportedly taken into the Old Oyo National Park, where the difficult terrain posed challenges to rescue efforts.
On July 10, after 56 days in captivity, security agencies rescued the victims through an intelligence-led operation involving the military and other security agencies.
The Army said the operation targeted the kidnappers’ networks, informants and hideouts within the national park.
In October, the GOC, 2 Division, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, announced that the Army had taken over the entire park as a military training site to prevent criminals from using it as a hideout.
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