Army Takes Over Old Oyo Park as Training Centre After Oriire Schoolchildren Kidnap

The Nigerian Army has taken over the Old Oyo National Park and converted it into a training centre following the abduction and eventual rescue of more than 40 schoolchildren and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Maj-Gen Auwalu Mahmuda, disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council, at the division’s headquarters in Odogbo, Akinyele Local Government Area.

Mahmuda said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuaibu, directed the 2 Division to use the park as a training ground after the Oriire kidnapping. He said the military takeover was intended to stop criminals from exploiting the vast forest area as a hideout.
According to the GOC, the park has effectively become a no-go area for kidnappers and other criminals operating in the forest. He said regular military activity in the area would make it difficult for criminal groups to establish bases there.

More than 40 pupils and their teachers were abducted during a coordinated attack on three schools at Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026. Joint security operatives rescued the victims on July 10 after they had spent 56 days in captivity.

Mahmuda also called for closer cooperation between the military and the media, particularly in combating misinformation and fake news. He urged journalists to verify security-related information with the military before publishing, warning that unverified reports could cause serious harm.
The GOC described journalists as partners of the Nigerian Army and praised reporters who put themselves in difficult and dangerous situations to obtain information. He also appealed for greater media support in informing the public about the efforts of security agencies to tackle insecurity.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Yinka Adeniran, commended the 2 Division for its security efforts in Oyo State, particularly the rescue of the Oriire kidnapping victims. He also sought the division’s support for the chapel’s forthcoming Press Week, including lectures, training and medical outreach.