After Orire abduction, Army converts Old Oyo Park to training center
The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Auwalu Mahmuda, has said the Old Oyo National Park had been taken over by the Army and converted into a training centre following the abduction and subsequent rescue of more than 40 schoolchildren and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Mahmuda disclosed this on Wednesday when he received members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council, at the division’s headquarters in Odogbo, Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
He said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuaibu, had directed the 2 Division to use the park as a training ground, adding that the Army had since taken over the facility.
The GOC said the move was aimed at preventing criminals from using the vast forest area as a hideout.
“The order came after the rescue of the victims of the Oriire kidnap. By taking it over, the park has become a no-go area for kidnappers and other men of the underworld using the large forest as a base for their nefarious activities.
“On the order of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuaibu, the 2 Division has taken over the entire stretch of the Old Oyo National Park as a training site in order to prevent a repeat of the Oriire kidnap saga.
“With the 2 Division fully utilising the park, it will be a herculean task for men of the underworld to use it as their hideout,” Mahmuda said.
More than 40 pupils and their teachers were abducted during a coordinated attack on three schools at Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle in Oriire Local Government Area on Friday, May 15, 2026.
They were rescued by joint security operatives on Friday, July 10, 2026, after spending 56 days in captivity.
The GOC also called for stronger collaboration between the military and the media in the fight against misinformation and fake news.
He urged journalists to verify information with the military before publishing or broadcasting it, warning that unverified reports could cause serious damage.
“I will appeal to you to avoid publishing information without first confirming its exact and true nature with the military. Sometimes, when unverified information is released, it can cause more harm than the information it intended to address,” he said.
Mahmuda said some journalists failed to verify information before publishing, noting that misinformation could spread rapidly and cause irreparable damage.
“I want to reassure you that the Nigerian Army sees journalists as partners, but they are also expected to play their part in demonstrating clearly that they are partners of the Nigerian Army,” he said.
The GOC commended members of the Correspondents’ Chapel for highlighting the activities and contributions of the 2 Division to national development.
“We are all Nigerians, irrespective of the fact that some of us wear uniforms. I believe that, whatever we are doing, we are all working towards the success and development of this country,” he said.
Mahmuda also appealed for stronger collaboration with the media to enlighten the public on the efforts of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to tackle insecurity.
“I have seen journalists go to places where other civilians dare to set their foot. They put themselves in difficult and dangerous situations simply to obtain accurate information that can be shared with the public,” he said.
The GOC also promised the Correspondents’ Chapel military support in areas including training and medical outreach, particularly ahead of its forthcoming Press Week.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Yinka Adeniran, commended the 2 Division for its efforts to maintain security in the state, particularly the successful rescue of the Oriire kidnap victims.
Adeniran also appealed for the division’s support for the chapel’s forthcoming Press Week, particularly in the areas of lectures and health outreach for members.
