The Ondo State Police Command has provided details of an attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Headquarters, which was set ablaze by suspected terrorists on the eve of the New Year.
In a statement on Wednesday, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the attackers struck the community at about 9:41 p.m., carrying out a coordinated assault on the police facility.
According to the police, between 20 and 30 armed men invaded the station, firing assault rifles and using dynamite during the attack.
“The assailants set the station on fire, resulting in the destruction of the building and several exhibits. However, no life was lost in the incident as at the time of this report,” Abayomi said.
He explained that following a distress call, a joint patrol team comprising personnel from the Police, Military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other non-state actors was immediately deployed to the scene. The attackers, however, had fled before the arrival of the security operatives.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, condemned the attack, describing it as a tragic and reprehensible act against peace and security in the state.
Lawal urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control. He also ordered the deployment of additional operational assets, including tactical teams, Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) units and Police Mobile Force personnel to the area.
The police commissioner added that a coordinated manhunt for the attackers was ongoing, as security agencies intensified efforts to apprehend those responsible and prevent further incidents.
