Army Takes Over Old Oyo Park, Converts It To Training Centre After Oriire Kidnap

The Nigerian Army has taken over the Old Oyo National Park and converted it into a military training centre following the abduction and subsequent rescue of more than 40 schoolchildren and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

 

The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, disclosed this on Wednesday when he received members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council, at the division’s headquarters in Odogbo, Akinyele Local Government Area.

 

Mahmuda said the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, directed the 2 Division to use the park as a training ground to prevent criminals from exploiting the vast forest as a hideout.

 

“The order came after the rescue of the victims of the Oriire kidnap. By taking it over, the park has become a no-go area for kidnappers and other men of the underworld using the large forest as a base for their nefarious activities,” he said.

 

The GOC said the military’s continued utilisation of the park as a training site would make it difficult for criminals to operate in the area.

 

The move followed the abduction of more than 40 pupils and their teachers during a coordinated attack on three schools at Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle in Oriire LGA on May 15, 2026.

 

The victims were rescued by joint security operatives on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity.

 

Mahmuda also called for stronger collaboration between the military and the media in tackling misinformation and fake news.

 

He urged journalists to verify information with the military before publishing or broadcasting reports, warning that unverified information could cause serious damage to ongoing security operations.

 

“I will appeal to you to avoid publishing information without first confirming its exact and true nature with the military. Sometimes, when unverified information is released, it can cause more harm than the information it intended to address,” he said.

 

The GOC said the Nigerian Army regarded journalists as partners and urged the media to play its part by ensuring that information released to the public was accurate and properly verified.

 

He also commended journalists for reporting the activities of the 2 Division and acknowledged the risks they sometimes take in gathering information from difficult and dangerous locations.

 

Mahmuda called for continued public enlightenment on the efforts of the military and other security agencies to tackle insecurity in the country.

 

He also pledged military support for the Correspondents’ Chapel in areas including training and medical outreach, particularly ahead of its forthcoming Press Week.

 

Earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Yinka Adeniran, commended the 2 Division for its efforts to improve security in Oyo State and its role in the rescue of the Oriire kidnap victims.

 

Adeniran also appealed for the division’s support for the chapel’s forthcoming Press Week, particularly in the areas of lectures and health outreach for members.