Angry youths in Ifon, the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area in Ondo State, attacked the divisional police station, forcing officers to flee and setting the station on fire.
Locals reported that the violence stemmed from a clash between two youth groups on Valentine’s Day.
One group took the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of two members of the opposing group.
Tragically, one of the arrested youths reportedly died as a result of police brutality, while the other was hospitalized.
This incident sparked outrage among some youths, who protested at the station, driving out the officers and setting the facility ablaze.
The unrest continued into Sunday morning, prompting Ondo State’s Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, to visit Ifon for an on-the-ground assessment of the situation.
According to police spokesperson Funmilayo Odunlami, preliminary reports revealed that the conflict began on February 15, 2025, when a fight broke out between two families on Ogbomo Street in Ifon.
Officers from the Ifon Division, led by an inspector, responded swiftly, intervened, and made arrests, though some suspects managed to escape.
One of the individuals involved, Tobi Bobade, was brought to the police station by a local, Mr. Losilosi, in a weak state.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead. His body has been transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for a postmortem.
As the officers were at the station, a violent mob led by the deceased’s father attacked the police station, destroying the administrative office, the DPO’s office, and damaging two exhibit vehicles in the resulting fire.
Thankfully, no lives were lost as security personnel quickly called for reinforcements to secure the area.
The police commissioner condemned the lawlessness, asserting that such acts would no longer be tolerated, and vowed to ensure the perpetrators face justice.
Police authorities called for calm and urged the public not to take the law into their own hands, assuring that investigations were ongoing with further updates to follow.
