The Ashipa of Ogbomosoland, Chief Olusegun Adekunle, has called for heightened vigilance, improved intelligence sharing and stronger community participation in security efforts following a bandit attack on park rangers at Oloka Village, near the Old Oyo National Park.

In a statement made available to journalists on Friday, the Ashipa described the attack, in which the rangers were killed while on lawful duty, as painful and deeply disturbing, noting that it had unsettled residents of Ogbomosoland and neighbouring communities.

He said the incident once again highlighted the persistent security challenges confronting settlements around the Old Oyo National Park axis, an area prone to criminal activities due to its expansive forest reserves and porous boundaries.

Adekunle, however, observed that security presence and surveillance in the area had improved since the attack.

Commending security agencies for what he described as their difficult and hazardous assignment, the Ashipa said operatives continued to make significant sacrifices to protect lives and property.

He urged the public to support their efforts through cooperation and the timely provision of credible intelligence to enhance operational effectiveness.

Adekunle stressed that security should be regarded as a collective responsibility, calling on residents to remain vigilant, promptly report suspicious activities and avoid actions that could aid criminal elements.

Placing the incident within the broader South-West security framework, he said the attack underscored the importance of the regional security fund established by South-West governors to strengthen intelligence gathering, logistics and coordinated responses across state boundaries.

He noted that sustained funding and transparent utilisation of the initiative were critical to addressing emerging security threats, particularly in border communities.

The Ashipa also highlighted the role of the South-West Development Commission in complementing security efforts at the grassroots, stressing that improved community-level security was essential to boosting economic activities, especially farming, which remains central to livelihoods in Ogbomosoland and surrounding areas.

He noted that Ogbomosoland occupies a strategic position, sharing a boundary with Kwara State, where a number of security incidents have been reported in recent times.

According to him, this makes cross-border collaboration and intelligence sharing imperative to curbing the movement of criminal elements.

Adekunle further commended traditional rulers across the five local government areas of Ogbomosoland for their stabilising roles and called for stronger collaboration among them to mobilise communities, deepen grassroots intelligence and promote peace.

He offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the park rangers who lost their lives in the attack and for comfort for their families, describing the fallen officers as heroes whose sacrifice should strengthen unity and collective resolve against insecurity in the region.