REVEALED: More insight into why bandits killed Park rangers at Oloka

REVEALED: More insight into why bandits killed Park rangers at Oloka

Oloka village deserted

Khalid ABRAHAM

It has been revealed why men suspected to be bandits Tuesday night mowed down five park rangers in Oloka near Ikoyi-Ile in Oriire local government.

According to information obtained by ogbomosoinsightonline.com the Fulani herders struck brutally at the Nigeria Park Service (NPS) post in the village to allegedly free their colleagues who were arrested and put in custody by men of the NPS.

Investigations revealed that some Fulani herders were arrested deep in the Old Oyo National Park (covering several local governments in Oyo and Kwara states), and were subsequently put in detention at the NPS post at Oloka.

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BREAKING: Suspected bandits kill 5 park rangers at Oloka Ogbomoso

“We learnt their leader came to remonstrate with the head of the unit earlier that day,” a villager who pleaded anonymity informed Ogbomoso Insight. “But the NPS men refused on the ground that occupying or grazing livestock in the extensive forest was forbidden. The Fulani leader allegedly offered money but was refused either because it was inadequate or outright refusal to receive inducement. The Fulani head who came to plead left in frustration promising to come back. The aftermath we believe was the brutal attack.”

Sources confirmed this angle at the Ikoyi Divisional Police Headquarters. Few other people in the village who were in the know about the altercation also affirmed it but everyone was afraid and so spoke in hushed tones.

But speaking on the incident in an interview with New Telegraph Baale Oloka Chief Joel Olatunde Alagbe gave further insight confirming previous beef between the two parties. “Our forest guards here arrested some Fulani herdsmen and detained them in their office following the destruction of farm produce around this community and inside the forest.

“The forest guards asked them to call their leaders to come and identify them and bail them out. They came but said they would come back to effect the release of the arrested persons.

“At about 10.00 on Tuesday evening, while the people were eating, we just started hearing the shooting of guns. The Fulani gunmen invaded our Oloka community and started shooting into houses.

“In the course of it, they shot and killed five of the Old Oyo National Park forest personnel. Immediately, they wreaked havoc, they all fled and threw the community into panic.”

The aftermath was that the detained herdsmen said to be four in number made their escape during the melees.