Army Orders 2 Division GOC to Relocate to Kwara After Oke-Ode Attack

The Nigerian Army has ordered the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Ibadan, to relocate to Kwara State following Sunday’s deadly attack on Ogba-Ayo community in Oke-Ode town.

Armed bandits invaded the community in the early hours of Sunday, killing scores of people, including forest guards, and abducting several others.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Kwara State Government confirmed the directive, describing it as a direct response to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s call for increased security presence to counter the escalating violence in parts of the state.

The statement, signed by the governor’s spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the governor had stressed the urgent need for more military deployment in Kwara South and Kwara North to check the activities of criminal groups.

Governor Abdulrazaq expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of civilians and forest guards, who had mounted resistance against the attackers.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the families. No word can adequately capture the depth of my sadness, and nothing can compensate the bereaved families over these incidents, in spite of our efforts and the investments in enlisting and training the forest guards to bolster the conventional forces,” the governor said.

He commended the courage of the local security volunteers, noting that although five forest guards were killed, they also succeeded in neutralising several of the attackers.

“We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes,” Abdulrazaq added, while urging residents to remain calm and resist any attempt to turn against one another.

The state government reiterated its appreciation for the sacrifices of security agencies but stressed the need for intensified operations until peace is fully restored.

The Army Headquarters confirmed that the GOC of 2 Division has been directed to immediately relocate to Kwara to coordinate and strengthen military response in the affected areas.