Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has ordered intensified security patrols across all communities and forest areas of Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria, following a violent armed attack on Ipele-Owo community in Owo Local Government Area.
The directive was issued on Thursday during an emergency security meeting held in Akure, Ondo State’s capital city, after reports of an overnight attack by gunmen on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve.
Okay News reports that the meeting brought together senior security officials to assess the incident, review the response, and strengthen measures to prevent a recurrence.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attack occurred at about 10:00 p.m. when armed men, said to be about twenty in number, stormed the agrarian community and began shooting sporadically, causing widespread panic among residents.
The attackers reportedly set the local Police Divisional Station in Ipele on fire, forcing police officers and residents to flee for safety as gunshots echoed across the town.
An eyewitness described the incident as terrifying, saying, “It was a terrorist-like attack. The attackers, numbering about twenty, came into the Ipele community in a commando style and began to shoot sporadically before attacking the Police Divisional Station in Ipele.
“It was a serious incident because many of us had to flee into the bush. The sounds from the attack were terrifying, and none of us could withstand it.”
Speaking after the meeting at the Presidential Lodge inside the Government House in Akure, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the attack occurred late at night when many residents were attending religious night services to usher in the year 2026.
He explained that upon receiving the distress report, he immediately contacted the Nigeria Police Force and the brigade commander of the Nigerian Army in the state, directing them to deploy additional personnel to protect residents and reinforce ongoing patrols.
The governor noted that security operatives, including members of the Joint Operations Task Force and the Ondo State Security Network, also known as the Amotekun Corps, were already conducting patrols across communities and forest corridors before the incident.
He said, “Their rapid mobilisation ensured that the attackers, who gained access to the police station and discharged an explosive, were unable to harm anyone.
“Somehow, they were able to breach security, but the swift response of the security agencies helped greatly to curtail the situation. Nobody lost their life.”
Governor Aiyedatiwa confirmed that while the police facility was damaged, no officer was injured, and affected personnel had since resumed patrol duties to prevent further criminal activity.
He added that the emergency security meeting focused on strengthening intelligence gathering, evaluating response time, and ensuring that similar attacks do not occur in any part of the state.
