A combined team of the Nigerian Army, state joint task force known as Operation Burst, Amotekun and other security agencies have stormed the Old Oyo National Park to rid the park of criminals.
The exercise codenamed Operation Stillwater, came against the backdrop of acts of criminality in parts of Oke-Ogun area of the State with the park, which has thick forest, discovered to be a hideout for criminals and illegal miners.
On several occasions, there have been incidences of attacks on officers patrolling the park while residents of the area have constantly cried out to security agencies for increased surveillance and clearance of the forest in the park.
Intelligence by security agencies had revealed that the vast forest of the park was being used as operation centre for criminals, and illegal miners, with dwellers around the park reporting that navigating in and around it had become a very risky venture.
Prior the launching the operation, the two division of the Nigerian army, set up an Operations headquarters at Adafila, 40km away from Igbeti in Olorunsogo local government area of the state, equipped with a recce office, operations room, a command centre and war-time Spartan accommodation for the General Officer Commanding and the Garrison commander.
The military also deployed equipment to Oke-Ogun in a show of force while also attempting to gain cooperation of residents of the zone by donating furniture, drugs for some schools and crutches for persons living with disabilities.
In the same vein, the Nigerian Air Force deployed two aircrafts: an Alpha Jet and a Diamond Reconnaissance jet, popularly called DA-62.
Supporting the operation, state governor, Mr Seyi Makinde visited the operational zone in Igbeti where he was briefed by the military men on ground which included the GOC 2 division, Major General Bamidele Alabi; men of the Nigerian Air Force base among others.
Addressing service chiefs at governor’s office during the launch of the Armed Forces Remembrance emblem, the governor had noted that the massacre in Plateau State was an eye opener demanding the state government to be proactive security-wise.
According to State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Dotun Oyelade, the state government supported the onslaught by the security agencies to forcibly root out rampaging illegal miners who had invaded the Oke-Ogun axis of the state.
Oyelade added that the move was also to end a situation where persons illegally cart away minerals worth billions of naira without the community or government benefiting from their activities.
He added that the state government was all out to neutralize criminals in any zone of the state.
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