Ondo State Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has assured residents that those behind the attack and bombing of the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo Local Government Area will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice.
The governor gave the assurance on Thursday in Akure after presiding over an emergency meeting of the State Security Council convened to assess the incident, which occurred on New Year’s Eve.
According to reports presented at the meeting, about 30 armed men, said to be riding motorcycles, invaded the police station late on Wednesday night and detonated an explosive device at a time many residents were attending crossover church services to usher in the new year.
Governor Aiyedatiwa disclosed that security agencies across the state have been placed on full alert, stressing that the government would not tolerate any attempt to undermine public safety or the authority of the state.
He explained that the attackers were repelled by the swift and coordinated response of security operatives, which prevented the situation from escalating.
“The security agencies acted promptly, forcing the assailants to retreat. That rapid response helped to contain the incident and limit its impact,” the governor said.
He confirmed that although the attackers breached the police facility and detonated an explosive, no lives were lost, attributing this to the timely intervention of security forces.
The governor added that damage was confined to parts of the police station, noting that officers on duty were not injured and have since resumed patrols to reassure residents and sustain security in the area.
Aiyedatiwa said the emergency security meeting reviewed the circumstances surrounding the attack, assessed the response by security agencies and outlined additional measures aimed at preventing a recurrence.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 17, Mr Ajani Musibau, has visited the scene and condemned the attack, describing it as a grave and unacceptable threat to public peace and security.
