Bandits Attack Operation Burst Base in Oyo Hours Before Schools Resume

Suspected bandits have attacked an Operation Burst security base along the Igbeti–Igboho axis of Oyo State, barely 24 hours before schools across the state were scheduled to resume for a new academic session.

The attack reportedly occurred between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at a security base located within a forest reserve in Oorelope Local Government Area.

According to a security update from the Oorelope Local Government Command, the attackers reportedly arrived in large numbers and opened fire on personnel stationed at the facility.

The command said it received a distress call and immediately mobilised its operatives, alongside personnel from other security agencies, to the area. However, the attackers had reportedly fled before the reinforcement team arrived.

Preliminary findings indicated that the attackers may have attempted to overrun the security post, overpower the personnel and take away their weapons.

Although the attackers reportedly succeeded in setting fire to a block within the base and a patrol vehicle, no life was lost in the incident, according to the security authorities and the chairman of Olorunsogo Local Government Area, Kazeem Olayanju.

The assailants were also reported to have taken away some items, including a generator and motorcycle, before fleeing into the surrounding area.

Security operatives subsequently combed the area in an effort to track down the attackers, but no arrests had been reported at the time of filing this report.

The attack has raised fresh security concerns in the Oke-Ogun area, particularly because it occurred just before the reopening of schools across Oyo State.

The timing is also significant given the security challenges that have affected the state in recent months. In May, gunmen abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, prompting heightened security measures around schools and communities.

The latest incident has therefore renewed calls for stronger security around vulnerable communities, roads and educational institutions as students return to school.

The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the attack, describing the location as an army outpost along the Igboho–Igbeti road and stating that no life was lost, although property was damaged. Investigation into the incident has commenced.

Operation Burst is a joint security outfit involving personnel from the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), established to strengthen security and combat criminal activities across Oyo State.

Authorities are expected to provide further details as investigations continue and security agencies intensify efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible.