Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed a suspected criminal and recovered an AK-47 rifle during a clearance operation in the Old Oyo National Park.
The operation, conducted on November 7 and 8 by troops of Operation IGBO DANU II under the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with hybrid forces, also resulted in the recovery of other weapons and the destruction of makeshift shelters suspected to have been used as hideouts by criminal elements.
The Army disclosed this in a statement published on its official website on Monday, explaining that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to rid forested areas of armed groups and deny criminals safe havens.
According to the statement, troops encountered suspected criminals while conducting operations within the park on November 7. However, the suspects reportedly fled on sighting the advancing soldiers.
In the aftermath of the encounter, the troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine and a Dane gun.
“The troops subsequently recovered one AK-47 rifle, one empty magazine and one Dane gun, further degrading the operational capabilities of the fleeing elements,” the statement said.
The Army added that a follow-up operation conducted on November 8 led to the discovery of the corpse of one of the fleeing suspects, confirming the neutralisation of a criminal element.
The troops also destroyed temporary structures believed to have been used by the suspects as operational hideouts within the forest.
“The troops also destroyed temporary shelters believed to have served as hideouts, further disrupting criminal activities and denying the perpetrators safe havens within the forested area,” the statement added.
The Army said exploitation of the surrounding area was ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent them from regrouping.
Operation IGBO DANU II is part of the Nigerian Army's counter-criminal campaign under its 2 Division, aimed at dismantling armed groups and flushing out criminal elements operating in forested locations.
The operation builds on the earlier Operation IGBO DANU, also known as Operation Forest Flush, launched in January 2026 to target bandit enclaves and other criminal networks in forest areas, particularly in Kwara State.
The Army reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining security operations in collaboration with other security agencies and stakeholders to restore peace across its area of responsibility.
However, the statement did not disclose the identity of the deceased suspect or provide details of the precise location of the encounter within the national park. It also did not identify the other recovered weapons beyond the AK-47 rifle, empty magazine and Dane gun.
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