The Edo State Police Command has firmly denied social media reports alleging that a police station in Ekpoma was gutted by fire, describing the claims as false, misleading, and capable of inciting unnecessary panic.
The clarification followed a flurry of posts and videos circulating online, which suggested that a major security facility in the university town had been engulfed in flames. The reports quickly gained traction, feeding into existing tensions in the area and prompting concerns about the safety of residents and the capacity of security agencies to respond to emergencies.
In a detailed statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the police stressed that no station, office, or operational facility belonging to the Nigeria Police Force in Ekpoma was affected by fire. According to the statement, the narrative of a burning police station was a complete fabrication.
The command explained that the incident at the centre of the controversy did not occur inside a police station, but at a cluster of shops located within the Police Officers’ Wives Association, POWA, area attached to the Ekpoma Division. These shops, like many such facilities across the country, are commercial outlets sited within or around police barracks and formations, but they are not themselves police operational structures.
Police said the fire started shortly after electricity supply was restored to the area. Witnesses reported a sudden spark from one of the shops, which quickly ignited nearby structures. In a matter of minutes, the flames spread across adjoining stalls, sending plumes of smoke into the air and drawing the attention of residents and passersby.
Officers on duty at the Ekpoma Division, supported by members of the public, were said to have responded swiftly. They mobilised to contain the blaze, using available firefighting equipment and improvised methods while efforts were made to reach fire service personnel. Their prompt intervention, according to the command, prevented the fire from spreading to residential quarters or any police offices within the premises.
Although several shops were affected and goods destroyed, the police confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident. An assessment of the total value of property damaged is ongoing, with shop owners and affected traders expected to file formal reports and inventories.
The command used the incident to issue a stern warning against the deliberate spread of unverified information, particularly on social media platforms where sensational content often travels faster than official clarifications. It noted that the false narrative of a burning police station was not only inaccurate but also dangerous, as it could erode public confidence in security institutions and create an atmosphere of fear.
According to the statement, some content creators and individuals appeared more interested in generating traffic and engagement than in presenting factual accounts. By framing the fire as an attack on or failure of a police facility, they risked inflaming tensions in a community already grappling with security concerns.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, appealed to residents to treat information about security incidents with caution. He urged the public to verify claims through credible and official channels before sharing them, emphasising that the command maintains open lines of communication with community leaders, civil society groups, and the media.
Agbonika reassured residents of Ekpoma and the wider Edo public that the security situation in the town remained calm and under control. He noted that routine and special patrols were ongoing, and that the police were working with other security agencies to address emerging threats, particularly those related to kidnapping and violent crime.
The controversy over the alleged burning of a police station came on the heels of a separate incident that had already heightened anxiety in Ekpoma. A peaceful protest organised by residents to draw attention to rising insecurity and frequent kidnappings reportedly degenerated when hoodlums hijacked the demonstration.
What began as a civic action to demand better protection for lives and property turned violent as miscreants infiltrated the crowd. They allegedly attacked traders at the livestock market, chased them away, killed animals, and vandalised property. The unrest escalated further when parts of the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II, were attacked and damaged.
The invasion of the traditional ruler’s palace shocked many in the community, where the monarchy is regarded as a key stabilising institution and a symbol of cultural identity. The attack was widely condemned by residents, community leaders, and government officials, who described it as a gross violation of norms and an unacceptable escalation of grievances.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, publicly denounced the violence, insisting that no level of frustration over insecurity could justify an assault on a traditional institution or the destruction of private property. He called for calm and urged residents to channel their complaints through lawful and constructive means.
The governor also directed security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for hijacking the protest and unleashing violence on the town. He pledged that the state government would work closely with security operatives and community leaders to restore confidence and ensure that Ekpoma does not slide into a cycle of unrest.
Against this backdrop of tension, the false reports of a police station on fire carried particular weight. For many residents already on edge, the idea that a key security facility had been compromised suggested a breakdown of order. It is this context,
