Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved a compensation of ₦5 million each for the families of forest guards recently killed at the Old Oyo National Park. He also announced full scholarships up to the university level for the children of the deceased officers.
The governor made the announcements on Friday during an on-the-spot assessment visit to Oloka Village in Oriire Local Government Area of Ogbomoso, where the incident occurred. He commiserated with the affected families and residents, assuring them of the state government’s commitment to justice, welfare, and improved security.
Governor Makinde further promised the rehabilitation of the Ikoyi-Ile–Oloka road under the Rural Access and Agricultural Market Project (RAAMP) to ease movement and boost economic activities. He also pledged to improve telecommunication services by facilitating the installation of telecom masts, alongside the provision of boreholes and solar-powered street lights in the community.
The governor said the state would sustain a joint security operation in the area and disclosed plans to write to military authorities in Abuja to request the establishment of a military base in Oloka to further strengthen security.
Describing security as a collective responsibility, Makinde urged residents to support government efforts by providing timely information to security agencies whenever they notice suspicious activities. He also commended service commanders for their dedication and commitment to protecting lives and property.
“I decided to come here personally to assess the environment and understand the challenges facing our security agencies, especially communication,” the governor said. “Whatever is expected of government to ensure your safety, we will do it. We pray such a tragic incident will not happen again, and we ask God to uphold the families left behind.”