Ogbomoso Immigration Office attack: Police, immigration launch manhunt, constitute joint task team

Olufemi OGUNLANA

The Oyo state Police Command and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have launched a manhunt for armed men who attacked the NIS office in Ogbomoso and carted away a service rifle, ammunition and other valuables.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement wednesday.

According to him, the incident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday when about five armed assailants gained access to the facility through the rear perimeter fence bordering a large expanse of bushland.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the attackers assaulted two Immigration officers who were on night duty using sticks and other dangerous weapons before making away with a G3 rifle assigned to the office and ammunition attached to it.

The hoodlums 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.

The Police Command stated that operatives from its monitoring unit and surveillance teams were immediately deployed to the scene following a distress call from the officer in charge of the Immigration office.

DSP Olayinka said the injured officers had received medical attention and were in stable condition.

He added that surveillance and tactical teams had intensified operations within the area, including combing adjoining bushes and suspected escape routes with a view to apprehending the suspects and recovering the stolen firearm and other items.

The command further disclosed that intelligence assets and informants had been activated to generate useful information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo state, Mr. Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has directed all operational and intelligence units to deploy available resources towards ensuring the arrest of those responsible for the attack.

The Police Commissioner and the Oyo state Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service have also constituted a joint task team to strengthen collaboration and enhance efforts aimed at tracking down the suspects.

The command reassured residents of Ogbomoso and its environs of its commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.

It also appealed to anyone with useful information regarding the attack to come forward, assuring that all information received would be treated with utmost confidentiality.”

What people don’t know

There is an Immigration Office in Ogbomoso presently occupied, off Ogbomoso – Ilorin road around NNPC Filling Station, and there is a separate Passport Office recently built but unoccupied because it’s not yet commissioned. Both belong to the Nigerian Immigration Service. It was the Immigration Office that was attacked by the gunmen Tuesday night.