Angry Youths Set Ondo Police Station Ablaze in Protest

Tensions escalate in Ondo as enraged youths burn down a police station following alleged misconduct by officers. Authorities are investigating the cause of the unrest.

In Ifon, the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area in Ondo State, irate youths expelled law enforcement officers from the town’s divisional police station and set it on fire.

According to information from some locals, the violent crisis reportedly began with a confrontation between two different groups of youths in the community on Valentine’s Day.

A member of one group reported the incident to the police, resulting in two members from the other group being arrested. Unfortunately, it was alleged that one of them died due to police torture while the other required hospitalization.

Reports indicate that this development angered some community youths, prompting them to protest at the police station. Allegedly, they drove away the officers on duty and set fire to the building.

Reports indicate that the protest persisted into Sunday morning, prompting Ondo State Commissioner of Police Wilfred Afolabi to visit the town for an immediate assessment of the situation.

In a statement, police spokesperson Funmilayo Odunlami reported that initial findings reveal the incident started on February 15, 2025. A disagreement between two families on Ogbomo Street in Ifon escalated into a public altercation. Officers from the Ifon Division, under an Inspector’s leadership, quickly arrived at the scene to intervene and made arrests while some suspects managed to escape.

Later, Tobi Bobade, one of the young men involved in the fight, was brought to the station by Mr. Losilosi. Appearing weak, he was promptly rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention but unfortunately passed away while receiving treatment. His body has been taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo for a postmortem examination.

While the officers were at the station, an enraged crowd led by the deceased’s father launched a violent attack. As a result of the mob causing an inferno, damage occurred to several areas including the administrative office, DPO’s office, and two exhibit vehicles.

Thankfully, no lives were lost in the fire because security personnel acted quickly and called for reinforcements to secure the premises.

The police commissioner cautioned that such acts of lawlessness would no longer be tolerated in the state and emphasized that those responsible would be held accountable.

The police urged everyone to remain calm and asked those involved to let peace prevail.

“The Police Command appeals to the public to stay calm and avoid taking matters into their own hands. Investigations are currently underway, and additional updates will be shared as they develop,” the statement concluded.