By Asaye Bankole
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 14 persons following violent unrest in Ala, Akure North Local Government Area of the state, after the reported beheading of a farmer, identified as Rasheed Hassan.
The unrest reportedly erupted when an angry mob attempted to seize two suspects arrested in connection with the farmer’s death for alleged extrajudicial killing.
The violence left two police officers injured and resulted in an attack on a divisional police headquarters.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the arrests, stating that the suspects were apprehended in connection with the attack on police personnel and the ensuing disturbance.
According to the police, the incident began following the discovery of Hassan’s body at General Camp, within the Government Reserve area, on October 24, 2026.
Police operatives who visited the scene reportedly recovered the deceased’s body and observed deep cuts on his head and other parts of his body. His personal belongings were also said to be missing.
The Command said investigations commenced immediately to establish the circumstances surrounding the farmer’s death and identify those responsible.
However, tensions escalated on October 26 after the Ala Youth President reportedly arrested two suspects allegedly connected to the killing and began conveying them to the police station.
The youth leader was reportedly confronted by an angry mob demanding that the suspects be handed over to them for extrajudicial punishment.
Faced with the situation, the youth leader reportedly sought refuge at the Ala Divisional Police Headquarters with the two suspects.
The mob, however, allegedly pursued them to the facility and launched an attack on the police station.
According to the police, the attackers threw stones and other dangerous objects at the facility and resisted efforts by rescue teams to reach the area and restore order.
The Command subsequently deployed tactical operatives and other rescue teams to contain the violence and prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
The two suspects were eventually rescued at about 1:45 a.m. on October 27, the police said.
However, the patrol team conveying the suspects to Akure reportedly came under attack during the operation.
Two police officers sustained gunshot injuries from pellets allegedly fired from a pump-action firearm.
The injured officers were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
Following the attack, the police arrested 14 suspects over their alleged involvement in the violence, including the attack on the police facility, officers and the rescue team.
The Command said investigations were ongoing to establish the individual roles of those arrested and determine their level of involvement in the incident.
To prevent further violence, tactical personnel were deployed to the affected community to maintain security and forestall another breakdown of law and order.
The police added that normalcy had returned to the area, although security monitoring remained in place.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, condemned the attack, describing mob action and attempts to obstruct lawful police operations as unacceptable.
He stressed that no individual or group had the right to take the law into their own hands, regardless of the seriousness of an alleged offence.
Ohagwu warned that the Command would not tolerate attacks on police facilities, assaults on officers or any attempt to frustrate lawful security operations.
He also assured residents that investigations into the farmer’s death and the violence that followed were continuing, adding that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
The Command urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies and provide credible information that could assist investigators in establishing the facts surrounding the killing and subsequent unrest.
It also appealed to community leaders and youth groups to discourage mob violence, avoid taking the law into their own hands and allow the criminal justice system to handle the suspects in accordance with the law.
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