The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has condemned Tuesday night’s attack by suspected bandits on the National Park Office in Oloka Village, Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, which claimed the lives of five National Park officers and left several others injured.

Adams expressed deep condolences to the families of the slain officers, describing their dedication to environmental conservation and the protection of national assets as commendable and selfless.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his media adviser, Olawunmi Ojo, Adams called on security agencies to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring such attacks do not recur.

He suggested that the attack may have been aimed at intimidating officials of the newly approved Forest Guards, whose recruitment process is currently ongoing.

According to him, the incident underscores the urgent need to strengthen security within national parks and surrounding communities, particularly those bordering Kwara State.

Adams noted that the killings violated the sanctity of human life and posed a serious threat to public safety and community security.

“This brings us back to the burning issue of the need for state police. Our lawmakers and the Federal Government must urgently pass the state police into law and make it operational across all states of the federation. This is the only way to stop these kinds of mindless killings,” he said.

He added that his office was continuously engaging Southwest governors on the need to collaborate with the Southwest Security Stakeholders Forum, under his leadership, to decisively tackle insecurity in the region.

Adams recalled that bandits once dominated the Oyo National Park axis in Kishi, Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, until they were flushed out through the combined efforts of members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), vigilante groups, and local hunters.

He further disclosed that over 33 security-related groups across the Southwest, who participated in the recent Yoruba Security Conference held in Lagos, had expressed readiness to partner with both the federal and state governments to enhance security in the region.