The Oyo State Government has vowed to intensify its campaign against banditry and other criminal activities following an attack on an Operation Burst security base along the Igbeti–Igboho Road in Olorunsogo Local Government Area.
The government also warned that individuals found harbouring, aiding or providing support to bandits would face the full weight of the law.
The warning was issued by the Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal, during an assessment visit to the affected security base after the facility was reportedly attacked by suspected bandits at about 5 a.m. on Sunday.
The incident has heightened security concerns in the Oke-Ogun axis, an area where authorities have increasingly focused attention on the threat posed by criminal groups operating around forest and rural corridors.
According to reports on the incident, the attackers targeted the Operation Burst facility in the early hours of Sunday. The state government subsequently announced the arrest of five suspects in connection with the attack, with security agencies expecting further arrests as investigations continue.
During his assessment tour, Lawal stressed that the government would not allow criminal elements to establish a foothold in Oyo communities.
He warned residents against providing safe houses, logistical support or other forms of assistance to criminals, stressing that anyone found facilitating the activities of bandits would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The government’s response comes against a broader security backdrop in which authorities have been working to prevent forests and remote settlements from becoming operational bases for armed groups.
The Oyo State Government has previously said it would not allow the vast forest reserves around the Old Oyo National Park to become sanctuaries for criminal elements.
The latest attack has also renewed questions about the vulnerability of security outposts located along rural routes and the need for stronger intelligence gathering, surveillance and rapid-response capabilities.
Operation Burst, established as a multi-agency security initiative in Oyo, has been deployed to address threats including armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across the state.
For residents and farmers in affected communities, the security of roads linking Igbeti, Igboho and surrounding settlements remains particularly important because of their reliance on agricultural activity and movement between rural communities.
The government’s position is that the response must go beyond military and police operations. Intelligence from residents, particularly those living close to forests and border communities, is expected to remain crucial to identifying suspicious movements and preventing attacks.
Authorities are also expected to continue investigations into the latest incident and establish the circumstances surrounding the attack, including the identity and network of those responsible.
The development underscores the continuing security challenge facing parts of Nigeria’s North-Central and South-West corridors, where criminal groups have increasingly exploited difficult terrain and isolated settlements.
For Oyo, the immediate priority is to prevent the attack from becoming a wider security threat and to reassure communities that security agencies remain capable of protecting lives, property and critical security infrastructure.