The Ondo State Police Command has given details of how suspected terrorists attacked and set ablaze the Ipele Divisional Police Headquarters in Ondo State on the eve of the New Year.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the attackers struck the community at about 9:41 p.m., launching a coordinated assault on the police facility.
According to the police, preliminary findings revealed that between 20 and 30 heavily armed men stormed the station, firing assault rifles and detonating dynamite during the attack.
“The attackers set the station on fire, resulting in the destruction of the building and several exhibits. However, no life was lost in the incident as of the time of this report,” Abayomi said.
He added that following a distress call, a joint security team comprising personnel of the Police, Military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security partners was immediately mobilised to the area.
The assailants, however, fled the scene before the arrival of the security forces.
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 public safety in the state.
Lawal urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control.
He also ordered the immediate deployment of additional security assets, including Tactical Teams, Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) units, as well as Police Mobile Force operatives, to the affected area.
The police commissioner further confirmed that a coordinated manhunt has been launched for the attackers, as security agencies intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible and prevent further attacks.
