By Dayo Johnson
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has vowed to apprehend and bring to justice the bandits who attacked and bombed the divisional police station in Ipele, Owo Local Government Area, on New Year’s Eve.
The governor made the declaration after convening an emergency security council meeting in Akure to assess the incident.
About 30 suspected bandits on motorcycles reportedly attacked and bombed the Ipele Divisional Police Station late Wednesday night, while many residents were attending night services to usher in 2026.
Governor Aiyedatiwa said all security formations across the state have been placed on red alert to prevent further breaches.
“Security agencies in the state swiftly swung into action, forcing the assailants to flee. The proactive and coordinated response of the security agencies has since brought the situation under firm control, significantly reducing the extent of the damage,” he said.
He noted that, although the attackers gained access to the police station and discharged an explosive, their rapid mobilisation ensured that no one was harmed.
“Somehow they were able to breach security, but the swift response of the security agencies helped greatly to curtail the situation. Nobody lost his or her life,” the governor added.
Aiyedatiwa confirmed that only the police station was damaged. All officers survived and were able to rejoin patrols to prevent further criminal activity. He emphasised that the emergency meeting with security chiefs focused on reviewing the incident, assessing the security response, and ensuring such acts do not recur.
Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, said the governor convened the emergency session with the heads of the police, military, DSS, Civil Defence, and Amotekun to assess the situation and activate strategies to apprehend the perpetrators.
Lawal dismissed reports circulating on social media suggesting casualties or attacks on churches, affirming, “No lives were lost and no church was affected.”
He added that investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the damage, including items looted from the police armoury, cautioning that it is premature to label the incident as a terrorist attack until arrests are made.
“It is too early to conclude that they were terrorists. Once investigations are complete and arrests are made, we will identify those responsible,” Lawal stated.
The police commissioner reassured residents that Ondo State remains one of the safest states in Southern Nigeria and urged citizens to remain calm and maintain confidence in the security agencies.
“The good people of Ondo should remain calm and continue to have the confidence they’ve always had in us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lawal and the AIG, Zone 17, Ajani Omolabi, visited the bombed divisional police station to assess the situation. The commissioner condemned the attack, describing it as a tragic and reprehensible act against the peace and security of Ondo State.
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