By Adeola Badru

Former Senate Leader and Oyo State Ambassador of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Senator Teslim Folarin, has thrown his weight behind a security crackdown following the killing of five National Park Service forest guards in Oyo State.

The guards were killed during an attack on the National Park Office at Oloka Village.

In a statement made available to Vanguard, Senator Folarin condemned the attack, describing it as “a grievous assault on peace and security,” and declared that “criminality and banditry have no place in Oyo State or anywhere in Nigeria.”

He expressed deep sorrow over the death of the officers, who he said lost their lives in the line of lawful duty. Folarin mourned the fallen personnel and extended condolences to their families, the National Park Service, and all those affected by the incident, while praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and comfort for their loved ones.

The former Senate Leader said he had taken cognisance of the official statement by the Oyo State Government, which indicated that preliminary investigations by security agencies pointed to a cross-border attack by bandits.

He commended the swift response and coordination of the security agencies, noting that their prompt intervention was critical to restoring calm and tracking down the perpetrators.

Folarin stressed that criminal acts of this nature must be collectively resisted, urging citizens to unite against violence and support security agencies with timely and credible intelligence to aid their operations.

He also appealed to residents of affected and other border communities to remain calm and vigilant, while fully cooperating with security personnel deployed to the areas. According to him, security is a shared responsibility, and community support remains vital to sustaining peace.

Speaking on behalf of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Oyo State, Senator Folarin reaffirmed support for all lawful measures being taken by the government and security agencies to protect lives and property.

He added that the administration remains firmly committed to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and confronting criminal elements decisively wherever they operate.

“We must not allow fear to prevail,” Folarin said, expressing confidence that justice would be served and lasting peace restored in the state.