By Obinna Uballa
Anxiety gripped parts of Oyo State on Sunday after the police intercepted a truck conveying materials suspected to be explosives in Ibadan, barely days after a deadly attack on a National Park Service outpost in the state.
The Oyo State Police Command said the truck was intercepted in the Sango area of Ibadan during a stop-and-search operation triggered by an intelligence tip-off.
In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ayanlade Olayinka, said the vehicle was found conveying 42 bags of materials believed to be explosive substances.
According to him, the driver of the truck has been taken into custody alongside the recovered items, while the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Femi Haruna, has ordered a thorough investigation to determine the nature and source of the materials.
Olayinka said specialised operatives from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) unit had been deployed to secure the scene and carry out forensic examinations.
“A detailed forensic analysis is ongoing to establish the exact composition of the materials and their intended use,” the police spokesperson said, urging residents to remain calm.
He assured the public that there was no immediate cause for panic, adding that the police would provide updates as investigations unfold.
The interception comes against the backdrop of heightened security concerns in Oyo State following a recent violent attack on a National Park Service office in Oloka, Orire Local Government Area, where five personnel were killed.
The attack, which occurred on the night of January 6, 2026, was carried out by suspected bandits who reportedly stormed the park outpost, engaged officers on duty in a gun battle and retreated into the surrounding forest.
Local sources said the assailants were heavily armed and that gunfire lasted several minutes, forcing residents of Oloka and neighbouring communities to flee their homes in fear.
Confirming the incident at the time, DSP Olayinka said security agencies had been alerted and that senior officers, including the Commissioner of Police, were mobilised to the area.
“Yes, there was an attack by yet-to-be-identified men against the men of the National Park Service,” he said, noting that tactical teams, Mobile Police Force operatives and the EOD unit were deployed to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
The National Park Service facility in Oloka is located near a vast forest reserve that security agencies have long identified as a potential hideout for criminal groups, including bandits and kidnappers operating across parts of the South-West.
The bodies of the slain officers were believed to be within the forest as of press time, while a coordinated security operation was launched to secure the area and track down the attackers.
In the aftermath of the attack, security patrols were intensified across Orire Local Government Area and adjoining communities, with residents urged to report suspicious movements.
