IBADAN, NIGERIA — Two people have been confirmed dead and several others are fighting for their lives after suspected armed bandits launched back-to-back ambushes within 24 hours along the Kishi-Igbeti and Igboho-Igbeti highway corridors in the Oke-Ogun zone of Oyo State.
The violent weekend attacks have thrown local communities into panic, sparking fresh fears over the vulnerability of the region’s transit networks.
Late-Night Ambush Ends in Fatality
The first assault occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Friday along the Kishi-Igbeti road. Heavily armed men stepped out from the brush and opened fire on a moving vehicle.
An electricity worker identified as Moshood Kayode, popularly known within the community as “Mr. Kay,” was shot dead alongside another passenger. Several other occupants of the vehicle sustained varying degrees of injuries during the hail of bullets.
Attackers in Camouflage Hide Intentions
Less than a day later, at around 3:25 p.m. on Saturday, a second ambush was executed along the Igboho-Igbeti axis.
Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen wore military-style camouflage uniforms, initially tricking motorists into believing they were official security personnel at a checkpoint. Once vehicles slowed down, the gunmen opened fire.
The attackers targeted a commercial passenger bus and a red Volkswagen Golf. While the bus suffered punctured tires, the occupants of the Golf took the brunt of the gunfire. Four people in the car—including the driver, Alhaji Rafiu Jimoh, and a passenger identified as Jubril Jelili—suffered severe gunshot wounds while traveling from Igbeti to Saki. In a desperate bid for survival, the injured driver managed to maneuver the bullet-riddled vehicle back to Igboho, where the victims were rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment.
Joint Security Forces Move In
In response to the consecutive attacks, a heavily armed joint security detachment was deployed to regain control of the highway. The response team includes personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps), and local forest guards.
While these forces have successfully secured the affected road corridors, anxiety remains high throughout the Oke-Ogun zone.
Local Area Declared a Security Threat
Local community leaders are calling on the federal government and the military to launch immediate, large-scale clearing operations. Residents have long warned that the vast, dense terrain of the adjacent national park has been weaponized by criminal syndicates, serving as a permanent hideout for kidnappers and fleeing bandits.
