Police arrest 14 after mob attacks station in Ondo over farmer’s killing

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 14 suspects following an attack on a police station in Ala, Akure North Local Government Area, during which two officers sustained gunshot injuries.

The attack followed the killing of a farmer, identified as Rasheed Hassan, and an attempt by an angry mob to seize two suspects arrested in connection with his death for alleged extrajudicial killing.

“Preliminary observations revealed deep cuts to the victim’s head and other parts of his body, while his belongings were reportedly missing. Investigations immediately commenced to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killing,” the police command said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the police said the mob attacked the Ala Divisional Police Headquarters while officers were sheltering the suspects, throwing stones and other dangerous objects at the facility and resisting efforts by rescue teams to reach the area.

Abayomi Jimoh, the command’s spokesperson, said the two suspects had been arrested by the Ala youth president on 26 October and were being taken to the police division for necessary action when the mob confronted him.

He said the youth president sought refuge at the police headquarters with the suspects, but the mob pursued them and attacked the facility.

According to the police, tactical and other rescue teams were deployed to restore order and protect lives.

“The patrol team conveying the suspects back to Akure came under attack. During the incident, two police officers sustained gunshot injuries from pellets allegedly fired from a youth pump-action firearm,” the statement read.

The injured officers were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.

Following the incident, the police arrested 14 suspects over the attack on the police facility, officers and the rescue team.

“The investigations are ongoing to establish the individual roles of those arrested and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law,” Mr Jimoh said.

The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Felix Ohagwu, condemned the attack, describing mob action and attempts to obstruct lawful police operations as unacceptable.

He said no individual or group had the right to take the law into their own hands, regardless of the gravity of an alleged crime.

Mr Ohagwu warned that the command would not tolerate attacks on police facilities, assaults on officers or attempts to undermine lawful police operations.

The command, however, said it had maintained tactical deployments in the area to prevent further violence and that normalcy had returned to the community, while security monitoring still continued.