Manhunt Begins for 30 Attackers of Ondo Police Station

The Ondo State Police Command has launched a manhunt for gunmen who attacked the Ipele Divisional Police Headquarters on New Year’s Eve.

PUNCH Metro gathered from multiple sources, including viral photographs on social media, that the incident occurred on Wednesday evening when suspected gunmen, said to be between 20 and 30 in number, invaded the community and set the police station ablaze.

Although a statement issued by the command on Thursday did not disclose the motive behind the attack, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, condemned the assault.

Photographs sighted by PUNCH Metro showed a vehicle parked within the station premises completely burnt, while parts of the building—particularly the roof—were partially damaged.

Reacting to the incident in a statement shared on the command’s Facebook page on Thursday, the police spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, clarified that no church was attacked, contrary to reports circulating on social media.

“The command wishes to clarify that, contrary to reports making the rounds on social media, no church was attacked during the incident,” Jimoh said.

“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.

“The attackers set the station ablaze, leading to the destruction of the building and several exhibits. However, no life was lost in the attack as of the time of this report.

“Upon receipt of the report, a joint patrol comprising the police, military, Civil Defence and other non-state actors promptly mobilised to the scene; however, the attackers had already carried out the act before their arrival.”

The statement added that the Commissioner of Police strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a tragic and reprehensible act against the peace and security of Ondo State, and urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control.

“Consequently, the CP has ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational assets, including Tactical Teams, Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear units, as well as Police Mobile Force personnel to the area. A coordinated manhunt for the attackers is currently underway,” the statement said.

This is not the first time Ondo State has witnessed such an attack. PUNCH Metro had reported a similar incident in 2022 when unknown gunmen attacked the Okuta Elerinla Police Division in Akure, the state capital, killing a police inspector on duty.

The motive for that attack was also unknown at the time.

Similarly, in December last year, a police checkpoint at Ipele Junction in Owo Local Government Area was attacked, leaving two policemen and a female civilian injured.