The Ondo State Police Command said it had arrested no fewer than five persons in connection with the alleged burning down of a police station in Ifon Community, the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of the state.

A crisis broke out in the community as some angry youths allegedly protested against the death of a young man, Tolu Bobade, in the police station in the town last Saturday.

The protest reportedly led to the burning of the Divisional Police Station in the community. However, no life was lost in the protest.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilfred Afolabi, confirmed the arrest of the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital.

The CP who condemned the attack stated that a full investigation had begun into the incident, and warned the residents of the state against taking the law into their own hands whenever there was an issue.

Afolabi said, “There are proper institutions to seek justice. We have succeeded in arresting five suspects, and they are currently in our custody at the headquarters.

“Ifon cannot function without a police station, and every right-thinking person in the community knows that setting it ablaze was a mistake. When people take such actions, they undermine the rule of law.

My advice is that in future incidents, we should act with civility and follow due process instead of resorting to violence.”

Meanwhile, the family of Bobade in Ifon Community has said its son , Tolu Bobade, was wrongly arrested and tortured by the police, which later led to his death.

In a statement by a member of the family, Dupe Bobade, on behalf of the family and made available to our correspondent on Monday, the Bobade family explained that the death of Tolu sparked up the anger of the people and the alleged police’s refusal to provide explanations or take responsibility for their actions.

He said, “On the day of the incident, Tolu Bobade, a minor and innocent soul, was arrested by officers from the Ifon Police Division under the directive of the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Isadare Funminiyi, while he was in the neighbourhood visiting a sick friend. Tolu was wrongly apprehended alongside others for allegations he knew nothing about. At the police station, he was subjected to brutal torture, leading to his untimely death.

“Upon realising that Tolu had died in custody, the police secretly took his body to the Adelabu Hospital at Ifon, where it was rejected. They later transported his body to the FMC Owo, where it was deposited at the morgue without the knowledge or consent of his family. Shockingly, to date, the police have neither informed the family of Tolu’s demise nor disclosed the whereabouts of his body.”

Bobade also denied the media report that youths attacked the police station as he stated that “the community’s reaction was borne out of outrage and grief over the unjust death of Tolu, compounded by the police’s refusal to provide explanations or take responsibility for their actions.”

A 25-year-old woman, Promise Eze, was rescued by the operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command after being tied up and left unconscious by a man she met on an online dating site.

The suspect, who introduced himself as Michael Prince but later identified himself as Emmanuel Okoro, is now on the run, with police launching a manhunt to ensure his swift arrest.

A statement on Sunday by the command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said the police received a distress call from a hotel in the Wuse area of the FCT after noticing suspicious activities in one of its rooms.

Adeh said upon arrival, officers discovered Eze tied to a small chair with her mouth covered in plaster, and lying on the floor unconscious.

She noted that Eze was immediately rushed to Wuse District Hospital, where she was resuscitated.

“On January 31, 2025, at approximately 11:30 AM, the command received a distress call from a hotel in the Wuse area of the FCT, reporting suspicious activity in one of their rooms.

“Responding swiftly, police operatives arrived at the scene and discovered a 25-year-old woman, Promise Eze, from Ebonyi State, tied to a small chair with her mouth covered in plaster. She was found unconscious and in distress. Officers acted immediately, freeing her from captivity and rushing her to the Wuse District Hospital, where she was resuscitated”, the statement partly read.

Adeh said preliminary investigations revealed that Eze had checked into the hotel the previous morning, January 30, with Okoro, whom she had met online.

According to her, the suspect had presented himself as an oil company employee based in Delta State.

Adeh noted that the suspect had initially invited Eze to visit him in Delta State but she rejected it but agreed to meet him in Abuja instead.

“Preliminary investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of deception and violence. The victim had checked into the hotel a day earlier, on January 30, 2025, at about 7:00 AM, in the company of a man who identified himself as Emmanuel Okoro from Lagos State.

“However, during police questioning, the victim disclosed that she had met the suspect online, where he introduced himself under the alias Michael Prince, claiming to be an oil company employee based in Delta State. Initially, he invited her to Delta State, but after she declined, they agreed to meet in Abuja.”

Adeh added that Eze said Okoro brandished a dagger to threaten her before tying her up and taping her mouth inside the hotel’s bathroom.

“What was meant to be an innocent meeting turned into a harrowing ordeal. The suspect allegedly brandished a dagger, using it to threaten and subdue the victim before restraining her by tying her hands and legs and taping her mouth shut inside the bathroom. He then fled the scene, stealing her two mobile phones. Alarmingly, before escaping, the victim overheard him speaking to suspected accomplices over the phone, informing them that he was on his way to regroup before returning to the hotel to ‘finish the job,’” the statement added.

Adeh said the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, condemned the incident and advised young women about the dangers of meeting strangers online without proper caution.

He assured the public that efforts were underway to track down the suspect, urging anyone with useful information on the suspect’s whereabouts to call the command’s emergency lines.

A US-based Nigerian cardiologist, Dr Ikenna Erinne, reportedly held his estranged partner and their children hostage at gunpoint for three hours before taking his own life when police arrived, his father-in-law, Francis Van-Lare, has alleged.

The tragic death of the 36-year-old cardiologist has sparked intense debate and widespread reactions from Nigerians both at home and abroad.

Initially believed to have taken his own life due to financial strain from a $15,000 monthly child support ruling, new revelations suggest that his final moments were far more disturbing.

Francis Van-Lare, the father of Erinne’s estranged partner, has alleged that before his suicide, the deceased doctor held his daughter and grandchildren hostage at gunpoint for three hours.

He ultimately turned the weapon on himself when police arrived.

Van-Lare, a socialite and public figure, made the claim on his official Facebook account on Sunday.

This was in response to an earlier post by Facebook user Amanda Chisom, who clarified that Erinne’s ex-partner was not a white woman, as widely speculated, but Van-Lare’s daughter.

Father-in-Law’s Allegation

In the Facebook comment addressing speculations surrounding his daughter’s involvement, Van-Lare provided chilling details of the incident.

He wrote, “While my daughter was involved in a custody battle, I only became aware around 3am Nigerian time last Monday that the deceased held her and her children at gunpoint for three hours after losing the case.

“The nanny managed to escape and called the police, and upon their arrival, he shot himself.”

He further revealed that Erinne was facing three counts of kidnapping with a deadly weapon, each carrying a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

“I guess he decided to kill himself instead of facing the charges,” he added.

Despite the shocking nature of the incident, Van-Lare expressed sympathy for the late doctor’s family, clarifying that his daughter was not responsible for his decision to take his own life.

“While I sympathise with his family, my daughter is not to blame for his death. And I thank God it did not escalate to where he shot my daughter, grandchildren, and himself,” the father-in-law stated.

Concluding his statement, he acknowledged the deep trauma the situation has caused for all involved:

He concluded, “May his soul rest in peace. Everyone is a loser here. It is traumatising for all, including me. No winners here.”

“He Did Not Marry a White Woman”

Amid the tragedy, misinformation spread rapidly, with many Nigerians believing Erinne’s ex-partner was a white woman who had used the legal system against him.

However, Chisom debunked these claims, revealing that the mother of his children is actually an Igbo woman—the daughter of Francis Van-Lare.

She wrote, “Ikenna did not marry a white woman. He had children with an Igbo woman, Francis Van-Lare’s daughter. However, they were never married. He called off the wedding, largely due to family concerns.”

She described Erinne as a quiet and reserved man, noting that his personality may have contributed to how he handled his struggles.

“Ikenna was always too quiet for his own good. If you pushed him, he would simply walk away. He was unassuming and a true gift to his generation,” she continued.

Her revelation shifted the conversation, igniting fresh discussions on marriage, family structures, and mental health struggles among Nigerian men abroad.

Lessons on Marriage, Due Diligence

Chisom also used the tragedy to highlight the importance of evaluating a partner’s background before commitment.

She cautioned against making decisions based solely on emotions, emphasising the lasting impact of family values and upbringing.

Chisom further stated, “This tragedy serves as a harsh reminder of why it is essential to ask questions and do thorough background checks before marriage.

“It is not enough to be carried away by beauty, intelligence, or temporary affection. A person’s upbringing, family values, and personal history play a significant role in shaping their character.”

She further warned against marrying individuals from dysfunctional homes, arguing that unresolved trauma often affects their ability to sustain relationships.

“If possible, avoid marrying someone from a broken home. The foundation of a person’s family often influences their ability to build and sustain their own. If a home was built on chaos, unresolved trauma, or a lack of unity, chances are those patterns will repeat,” her post stated.

Her remarks sparked a fierce debate online, with some agreeing while others criticised her for shifting blame instead of addressing systemic flaws in custody laws and the pressures men face in divorce cases.

No Winners, Only Loss

What started as a legal custody battle has ended in an irreversible tragedy, leaving families broken and social media users divided over who is to blame.

For some, Erinne’s death serves as a painful reminder of the mental health struggles that many men, particularly those in the diaspora, silently endure.

For others, it reignites discussions about the fairness of family courts and the heavy financial burden placed on fathers in custody cases, TheNigerian Online observed from the series of comments on all the posts.

Yet, as Van-Lare himself put it, no one truly wins in such a tragic situation.

As he prayed for the soul of the departed doctor, he concluded, “Everyone is a loser here… No winners.”

“May Dr Ikenna Erinne rest in peace.”