Nigerian Police say up to 30 armed attackers used rifles and explosives to torch a Divisional Headquarters in Ondo State, triggering a joint response.
Nigerian security authorities say as many as 30 armed men attacked and set fire to a Police station in southwestern Ondo State late Tuesday, underscoring persistent security challenges facing the country as the new year approached.
The assault targeted the Ipele Divisional Police Headquarters in the Ose local government area, according to a statement released by the Ondo State Police Command. The attackers struck at about 9:41 p.m. local time, launching what police described as a coordinated and heavily armed operation.
Preliminary findings indicate that between 20 and 30 assailants stormed the facility, firing assault rifles and detonating explosives believed to be dynamite. The building was set ablaze during the attack, destroying the station and several items kept as evidence, Police said.
No casualties were reported, a detail authorities emphasized as security forces assessed the damage and secured the area.
“The station was completely razed, but there was no loss of life as of the time of this report,” Police spokesperson Jimoh Abayomi said. He added that officers had raised an alarm, prompting an immediate response from multiple security agencies.
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A joint patrol team comprising the police, the Nigerian military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, and local security partners was deployed to the scene. By the time reinforcements arrived, however, the attackers had fled, Abayomi said.
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, and authorities did not identify the group responsible. Nigeria has faced a range of security threats in recent years, including attacks by armed groups targeting security installations in different parts of the country.
Ondo State Police Commissioner Adebowale Lawal condemned the assault, calling it a direct attack on public safety and state security. He urged residents of Ipele and surrounding communities to remain calm, assuring them that security agencies had taken control of the situation.
Lawal ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational resources to the area, including tactical Police units, the Police Mobile Force, and specialized Explosive Ordnance Disposal and CBRN teams to sweep the site and prevent further threats.
Security agencies have launched a coordinated manhunt for the perpetrators, with patrols intensified across nearby communities and key routes. Police said investigations are ongoing and vowed to bring those responsible to justice as part of broader efforts to deter similar attacks nationwide.
