Armed hoodlums have attacked the Nigeria Immigration Service Passport Office in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, assaulting officers on duty and carting away a rifle, ammunition, and other valuables.
According to the Oyo State Police Command, the incident occurred on Tuesday night when about five armed assailants reportedly scaled the perimeter fence of the facility through the rear entrance and gained access to the premises.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the attackers assaulted two Immigration officers who were on night duty with sticks and other dangerous weapons before making away with a G3 rifle assigned to the office, ammunition, a mobile phone, a generating set, and a motorcycle battery.
The police said the officers sustained injuries during the attack but have since received medical attention and are in stable condition.
Following a distress call from the facility, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed tactical and surveillance teams to the scene, while intensive operations were launched to track down the perpetrators and recover the stolen firearm and other items.
The command disclosed that intelligence assets and informants have been activated, with security operatives combing adjoining bushes and suspected escape routes in a bid to apprehend the suspects.
The police further revealed that a joint task team comprising personnel of the Oyo State Police Command and the Nigeria Immigration Service has been constituted to strengthen coordination and accelerate efforts to arrest those responsible for the attack.
The command assured residents of Ogbomoso and its environs that all necessary resources have been deployed to ensure a swift breakthrough in the case and urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities that could assist ongoing investigations.
