Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has imposed a 48-hour curfew across 10 local government areas surrounding the Old Oyo National Park as part of efforts to tackle rising security concerns in the region.
The affected areas include Oriire, Orelope, Irepo, Saki West, Saki East, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iseyin, Olorunsogo, and Atiba local government areas.
The curfew, which takes effect from Wednesday, June 24, 2026, will run daily from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and will remain in force for an initial period of 48 hours.
The directive was announced in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde, and made available to journalists through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Tuesday evening.
The Old Oyo National Park has recently become a major security concern following reports that criminal elements are using the vast forest reserve as a hideout for their operations.
Security concerns intensified after the abduction of 39 students and seven teachers in communities within Oriire Local Government Area last month. Reports indicate that the victims are believed to be held captive within the forest areas surrounding the national park.
The state government said the curfew is aimed at supporting ongoing security operations and restoring peace and safety to communities affected by criminal activities.
Residents of the affected local government areas have been urged to comply fully with the directive and cooperate with security agencies as efforts continue to secure the release of the kidnapped victims and flush out criminal elements from the area.
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