Troops of Operation IGBO DANU II, operating under the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army in collaboration with hybrid forces, have neutralised a suspected criminal element and seized an array of illegal firearms following a high-stakes clearance operation inside the Old Oyo National Park. ​
The tactical operation commenced on Saturday, November 7, 2026, when advancing troops encountered an armed syndicate embedded deep within the park’s dense forested terrain. Upon sighting the military force, the suspects abandoned their positions and fled under gunfire, prompting an immediate pursuit and area clearance by the troops.
​An initial sweep of the encounter site led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, and a locally fabricated Dane gun. During a systematic follow-up search conducted on Sunday, November 8, 2026, soldiers discovered the corpse of one of the fleeing suspects who succumbed to gunshot wounds, confirming the neutralisation of the adversary. ​
Beyond recovering weaponry, the troops dismantled and torched several temporary shelters used as operational hideouts by criminal networks inside the forest reserve. Search teams remain deployed throughout the surrounding bushland to conduct aggressive area exploitation, tracking down remaining suspects and ensuring the syndicate cannot regroup. ​
The official confirmation of the successful engagement was delivered in a statement on Monday, November 9, 2026, by Lieutenant Colonel Polycarp Okoye, Acting Deputy Director of 2 Division Army Public Relations.
​This latest clearance exercise aligns with strategic security measures previously announced by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, who designated the Old Oyo National Park as an active military training ground to deny kidnappers and armed groups a safe haven.
Lieutenant Colonel Okoye reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to sustaining joint operations alongside sister security agencies to preserve law and order across the division’s area of responsibility.
