The Oyo State Police Command has launched an investigation into the invasion of a Nigeria Immigration Service office in Ogbomoso, where armed hoodlums allegedly carted away a rifle and other valuables after attacking officers on duty.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night at the Nigeria Immigration Service Passport Office located along the Ogbomoso–Ilorin Expressway near an NNPC filling station.
Sources said the attackers stormed the facility while business activities were still ongoing at the nearby Ayanyan Cattle Market.
According to the source, the assailants overpowered officers on duty and dispossessed them of their firearms before fleeing under the cover of darkness.
The exact number of weapons taken could not be independently confirmed at the time.
Confirming the development in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the attack occurred around 8:45 p.m. when the officer in charge of the facility raised an alarm after armed hoodlums invaded the premises.
The police spokesperson disclosed that the attackers, believed to be about five in number, scaled the perimeter fence from the rear of the facility, which borders a large expanse of bushland.
He explained that operatives from the Command Monitoring Unit and surveillance teams were immediately deployed to the scene following the distress call.
Preliminary findings, according to the police, showed that the attackers assaulted two Immigration officers on night duty with sticks and other dangerous weapons before making away with a G3 rifle and attached ammunition assigned to the office.
The suspects were also said to have stolen a mobile phone belonging to one of the officers, a generating set and a motorcycle battery before escaping through the same route they used to gain access to the facility.
The injured officers have since received medical attention and were reported to be in stable condition.
The police added that surveillance and tactical teams had intensified operations within and around the area, including combing adjoining bushes and suspected escape routes in a bid to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen firearm and other items.
Ayanlade stated that intelligence assets and informants had also been activated to generate actionable information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.
He further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Olugbemiga Abimbola, directed all operational and intelligence units to deploy every available resource toward ensuring the arrest of those responsible.
According to the statement, the police and the Nigeria Immigration Service have constituted a joint task team to strengthen coordination and enhance efforts aimed at tracking down the attackers.
The command reassured residents of Ogbomoso and surrounding communities of its commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
