Another Attack, Familiar Promises: Oyo State’s Credibility Tested Again

Suspected terrorists on Tuesday night attacked the old National Park Service (NPS) office in Oloka, Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, killing at least five forest rangers and leaving several others critically injured. Security officials say the gunmen, believed to be about 12 in number, emerged from surrounding bushes, opened sporadic gunfire on the facility and fled before reinforcements arrived.

The attack was confirmed on Wednesday by the Conservator of the Park, Tesleem Kareem, who confirmed that park personnel were among those killed and that efforts were ongoing to help victims. The Oyo State Police Command also acknowledged the incident, with its spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, announcing that the Commissioner of Police and other security chiefs had moved to the area. Additional officers were deployed, and a manhunt for the attackers was launched.

Following an on-the-spot assessment, the Commissioner of Police, CP Femi Haruna, said the assault was targeted solely at the forest rangers’ office and that swift police deployment prevented further escalation in nearby communities. As with similar incidents, residents were assured of the authorities’ “unwavering commitment” to the protection of lives and property, while investigations continue.

But in Oyo State, such assurances now land in an atmosphere of deep skepticism. The Oloka attack does not occur in isolation; it fits into a broader pattern of violence followed by official promises that rarely translate into visible accountability or lasting security improvements.

Two years ago, on January 16, 2024, an explosion of unprecedented scale ripped through the Bodija area of Ibadan. Caused by explosives illegally stored by miners in a residential building, the blast killed five people, injured 77 others and affected seven suburbs across a 14-kilometre radius. Housesomes collapsed, vehicles were destroyed and hundreds of residents were displaced overnight.

In the immediate aftermath, Governor Seyi Makinde vowed that those responsible would be “brought to book” and urged citizens to “trust their government.” Nearly two years on, no one has been convicted for the disaster. Although suspects were arraigned and the company linked to the illegal mining was identified, the case has stalled, leaving victims and residents without closure.

The handling of the Bodija reconstruction funds has further undermined public confidence. In January 2026, the Oyo State Government disclosed that ₦30 billion released by the Federal Government as part of a ₦50 billion intervention package has remained untouched since the explosion. State officials said the funds were left unused because the outstanding ₦20 billion balance has not been released by federal agencies. The disclosure itself came only after public allegations by former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose, raising questions about transparency and voluntary accountability.

For residents of Bodija, many of whom are still awaiting meaningful government assistance, the government’s handling of the funds and the larger tragedy is almost mocking. Promises are made, press runs are completed, but outcomes are delayed indefinitely. The failure to fully prosecute those responsible for the inexcusable act of storing explosives in a residential area is now a reference point for judging subsequent security assurances by the Oyo State government.

It is against this backdrop that the Oloka attack is being received. Because the state government appears incapable of holding known actors accountable for past tragedies, official claims about tracking down unknown armed attackers ring hollow. When disaster funds sit idle while victims wait, declarations of government commitment lose their force.

The issue, increasingly, is not just insecurity but credibility. Oyo State authorities continue to insist they are responding decisively to threats, yet a growing number of residents measure these statements against a record of unresolved crises and unfulfilled pledges.

As security agencies allegedly intensify their search for those responsible for the Oloka attack, the outcome will be closely watched. Not only for whether the perpetrators are apprehended, but for whether this incident will finally break — or further entrench — the pattern of reassurance without resolution that has come to define the state’s response to crises.