The Ipele community in Owo Local Council of Ondo State was thrown into panic on New Year’s Eve after gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked and set ablaze the Divisional Police Station in the agrarian town.
The Guardian learnt that the assailants, estimated at between 20 and 30, stormed Ipele at about 10:00 p.m., firing sporadically and detonating explosives, including dynamite, before razing the police facility.
The attack came days after the Commander of the Amotekun Corps in the state, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that more than 35 suspected terrorists fleeing airstrikes in Sokoto State had been arrested in a forest in Ondo.
Residents said the incident caused widespread fear, forcing many people to flee their homes into nearby bushes for safety. Witnesses described the attackers as heavily armed and said they overwhelmed security operatives before setting the station on fire.
An eyewitness, who requested anonymity, said the gunmen operated for hours and overpowered officers at the station.
“It was a terrorist attack. The attackers, numbering about 20, came into the Ipele community and began to shoot sporadically before attacking the Police Divisional Station in Ipele. It was a serious incident because many of us had to flee into the bush. The sounds from the attack were terrifying, and none of us could withstand it,” he said.
As of press time, the motive for the attack had yet to be established. Residents described the incident as unprecedented in the community.
Security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services and the Amotekun Corps, have since been deployed to the area, although no official casualty figures were initially released.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command said the attackers set the station ablaze, destroying the building and several exhibits. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimoh Abayomi, said no lives were lost.
He described the attack as a tragic assault on the peace and security of the state and urged residents to remain calm.
“The Command clarified that, contrary to reports circulating on social media, no church was attacked during the incident. According to preliminary reports, at about 9:41 p.m., a group of armed men numbering between 20 and 30 invaded the police station, firing assault rifles and deploying dynamite.
“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police has ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational assets, including Tactical Teams, Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear units, and Police Mobile Force personnel to the area, while the situation is under control. A coordinated manhunt for the attackers is currently underway,” Abayomi said.
