Forest Routes Fuel Rising Kidnappings Across Nigeria’s South-West
Pecohub Forests and porous border corridors stretching across Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Ekiti states have become major infiltration routes for bandits and kidnappers entering the South-West
Credible sources, including hunters, operatives of the Oodua Peoples Congress and local residents, disclosed that armed groups fleeing military operations in the North were exploiting weak surveillance across forest reserves and boundary communities to launch attacks, abduct residents and escape undetected.
Findings further revealed that the Old Oyo National Park linking Oyo and Kwara states, as well as forests connecting Osun and Ekiti through Imesi-Ile, had become major security threats in the South-West.
According to security operatives, many suspected bandits had been dislodged from the areas.
They lamented that the vast woodland belts supporting farming, hunting and other economic activities had become difficult terrains for security agencies to effectively police, thereby creating opportunities for criminal groups involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling and other violent crimes.
The development comes amid rising cases of kidnappings and attacks in parts of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti states in recent months.
On May 15, bandits attacked three schools in Esinele, Yamota and Alawusa in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, killing teachers and abducting 47 pupils and teachers.
The incident has heightened concerns over the growing activities of armed groups in rural communities across the region.
The attackers reportedly escaped through the Old Oyo National Park, with local sources alleging that the vast forest corridor had become a major route for criminal groups operating within the region.
Old Oyo National Park
Findings by Reports showed that the Old Oyo National Park in Oyo State covers about 2,512 square kilometres or 251,200 hectares.
The park is about 160 kilometres from Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Reports gathered that forests around parts of Oriire, Ogbomoso, Kishi and adjoining communities form part of a larger vegetation corridor stretching across Oyo, Kwara, Osun and parts of northern Nigeria, thereby providing multiple escape routes for armed groups operating within the region.
Security operatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the criminals had been taking advantage of the dense and interconnected forests stretching through the Kainji National Park in Niger State, the Old Oyo National Park axis and the Gbugbu/Babanla forest in Kwara State to launch attacks and move abducted victims between locations.
