How gunmen invaded Ondo Community, burnt Ipele Police Station — Police

By Idowu Adebomi, Ado Ekiti

The Ondo State Police Command has condemned a deadly attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Headquarters in Owo of Government Area of the state, revealing that between 20 and 30 armed men carried out the assault.

The incident occurred on filing night of December 31, 2025, at about 9:41 p.m., barely hours to the New Year celebrations. According to the police, the attackers stormed the station, firing assault rifles and deploying explosives, including dynamite, before setting the facility ablaze.

The attack led to the destruction of the police station building and several exhibits. However, the police confirmed that no life was lost during the incident.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the Command dismissed reports circulating on social media that a church was also attacked, stressing that no place of worship was involved in the incident.

The statement explained that a joint patrol team comprising personnel of the Police, Military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security partners was immediately mobilised to the scene after the report was received. However, the attackers had already fled before the arrival of the security operatives.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Adebowale Lawal, psc(+), mnips, described the attack as a tragic and reprehensible act against public peace and security in the state.

He urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control. The police boss also ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational assets to the area, including Tactical Teams, Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) units, as well as Police Mobile Force personnel.

According to the Command, a coordinated manhunt has been launched to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.