OKEHO — Operatives of the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA) narrowly escaped disaster on Friday morning after being ambushed twice by suspected herders during an anti-open grazing operation in Okeho, Kajola Local Government Area.
The violent confrontations occurred around 6:30 a.m. in the Ilua axis and later escalated near the Palace zone along Iseyin Road as the team moved to enforce the state’s Open Rearing and Grazing Regulations Law, 2019.
According to a government statement, the initial assault took place at the team’s operational base in Ilua, where armed suspects openly confronted officers and drew firearms. While security operatives attached to the agency successfully secured personnel and navigated away from the immediate threat zone, the enforcement convoy was intercepted a second time near the palace precinct as they headed deeper into Okeho town.
Faced with aggressive posturing and elevated hostility, officers were forced to take strategic cover, evaluate the volatile environment, and implement emergency safety protocols.
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Reacting to the incident, OYRLEA Chairperson, Hon. Justice Aderonke Adekemi Aderemi (rtd), condemned the attacks as both “cruel and heartbreaking”. She emphasized that the assault targeted not just the field officers, but the foundational framework of the rule of law and public peace in Oyo State.
”We want to assure all citizens of their safety while we carry out our operations. We will not be deterred,” Aderemi stated, warning that the state government will show zero tolerance for individuals or groups attempting to undermine public safety and property rights.
The authority has formally lodged a complaint with the Nigeria Police Force, which has launched a full-scale investigation into the dual ambushes. Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, has called on residents across the region to remain calm and law-abiding as security agencies work to restore order and bring the perpetrators to justice.