Police To Probe Attack on Ogbomoso Passport Office

The Oyo State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the attack on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Passport Office in Ogbomoso, where armed hoodlums assaulted officers and carted away a rifle, ammunition, and other valuables.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night when suspected hoodlums invaded the facility located in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

According to a statement on Wednesday by the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the attackers scaled the perimeter fence from the rear of the premises before launching the assault.

The police said the officer in charge of the facility raised an alarm at about 8:45 p.m. after noticing the invasion, prompting the immediate deployment of operatives from the Command Monitoring Unit and surveillance teams to the scene.

Preliminary findings revealed that about five armed assailants gained access to the premises through a rear fence bordering a vast bushy area.

During the attack, the hoodlums reportedly assaulted two immigration officers on night duty with sticks and other dangerous weapons before fleeing with a G3 rifle assigned to the office and its accompanying ammunition.

The attackers also made away with a mobile phone belonging to one of the officers, a generating set, and a motorcycle battery.

Police authorities said the suspects escaped through the same route they used to gain access to the facility.

The injured officers were treated for their injuries and are currently in stable condition, according to the statement.

The command disclosed that surveillance and tactical teams have intensified operations in and around the area, including combing adjoining bushes and possible escape routes, to track down the perpetrators and recover the stolen firearm and other items.

It added that intelligence assets and informants have been activated to generate information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects, while all available investigative and operational resources have been deployed to ensure a breakthrough in the case.

The police further stated that the command is working closely with the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies to facilitate the arrest of those responsible and the recovery of the stolen items.

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, was said to have directed all operational and intelligence units to deploy every available resource towards apprehending the suspects.

The statement added that the police commissioner and the Oyo State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service had jointly established a collaborative task team to strengthen coordination and enhance efforts aimed at bringing all those involved to justice.

The command reassured residents of Ogbomoso and surrounding communities of its commitment to safeguarding lives and property and preventing criminal elements from operating within the state.