Several members of a private security outfit linked to Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, were reportedly injured after suspected cross-border bandits ambushed them during an operation in the Old Oyo National Park in Oyo State.

According to sources familiar with the operation, the incident occurred while operatives of the Iru Ekun security outfit were carrying out a mission to locate and dislodge suspected kidnappers and other armed criminal groups believed to be operating within the expansive forest reserve.

The sources said the operatives deployed surveillance drones to identify suspected criminal hideouts and monitor the movements of the armed groups before advancing into the area. However, the mission reportedly turned violent when heavily armed men, believed to be members of cross-border criminal networks, launched an ambush on the security team.

A fierce gun battle reportedly ensued inside the forest, leaving several members of the Iru Ekun outfit with gunshot injuries. The exact number of those wounded was not immediately confirmed as of the time of filing this report.

The incident has heightened concerns over the growing activities of suspected kidnappers, bandits, and other armed groups operating in forests and rural communities across parts of the South-West. Security experts have repeatedly warned that criminal elements continue to exploit difficult terrain within forest reserves to launch attacks and evade law enforcement.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Oyo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls placed to the command's spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, were not answered at the time of reporting.

The latest attack comes amid renewed concerns over insecurity in parts of Oyo State following recent incidents of kidnapping and violent attacks in several communities. Investigations into the ambush are expected to continue as authorities work to verify the circumstances surrounding the incident.