Oyo Group Urges FG to Return Old National Park Amid Insecurity

The group Omo Oyo Niwa Nitooto, representing the sons and daughters of Oyo both at home and in the diaspora, has called on the Federal Government to initiate the process of returning the old Oyo National Park to the people of Oyo State. They cite growing security concerns and historical injustices surrounding the land, which has been home to the ancestors of the Oyo people for centuries.

The statement, signed by the group's chairman Chief S. Olaler and General Secretary Abass Ayomid, emphasizes that the old Oyo National Park is not merely a forest reserve but a significant historical landscape tied to the Yoruba civilization.

The group highlights that the park has increasingly become a source of insecurity, with reports indicating it has turned into a hideout for terrorists and kidnappers, threatening the lives and economic activities of local residents. They urge the Federal Government to engage with Oyo stakeholders for immediate consultations to ensure the park's management is returned to the people, thereby promoting cultural preservation and economic development.