The Ondo State Police Command successfully thwarted a bombing attempt in Akure, the state capital, leading to the arrest of six suspects. Adebowale Lawal, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, confirmed the arrests and the recovery of various items during a news conference held on Thursday in Akure. The suspects, identified as five males and one female, range in age from 39 to 56 years old.

The arrested individuals are Adekunle Prosper (56), Ojo Olumide (39), Tope Kolawole (40), Ahmed Salihu (40), Bolaji Adebowale (46), and Gbadebo Abidemi (43). According to Commissioner Lawal, intelligence gathered revealed that the syndicate had recently rented an apartment in the Oke-Odu Area of Akure, which served as their operational base. The arrests took place on Wednesday, April 15, following credible and actionable intelligence about a suspected criminal syndicate operating across state lines.

Police operatives, acting swiftly on the intelligence, were strategically deployed to the identified location, apprehending the suspects before they could execute their planned attack. A thorough search of the scene and subsequent operations at the suspects' apartment led to the recovery of a significant cache of items. These included 217 bottles, bags of sugar, and criminal charms. Other exhibits comprised 17 mobile phones, N187,000 in cash, two HP laptops, eight slings, one knife, an external hard drive, two identity cards, one National Identity Number (NIN) card, and two motorcycles.

Preliminary assessments indicate that some of these materials were intended for the construction of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), while others were likely used to facilitate coordinated criminal activities. Findings further suggest that the group was actively involved in assembling IEDs, allegedly intended for deployment on government infrastructures and strategic locations. A document mapping out potential target locations was also recovered, pointing to a premeditated and coordinated plan that potentially extended beyond Akure to other parts of the country. The timely intervention of the police is credited with averting what could have resulted in significant loss of lives and widespread destruction of property.

Commissioner Lawal condemned the attempted act and urged house owners and property managers to conduct thorough background checks on prospective tenants. This proactive measure, he stressed, is essential to prevent their premises from being used as hideouts or operational bases by criminals. This incident highlights the worsening insecurity in Ondo State and other parts of Nigeria, where the state has experienced waves of kidnap-for-ransom and attacks from terrorist cells.

In a separate operation, the Ondo State Police also announced the arrest of 10 suspected cultists in Ondo town, including a wanted kingpin identified as Oluwatosin Temitope. Temitope has been linked to several violent incidents, including the shooting of a victim named “Primo” in March 2024 and another attack at a bar in 2024. Items recovered from the cult suspects include a firearm, cutlasses, a battle axe, cult insignia, and charms. The suspects are believed to belong to various confraternities such as Aiye, Eiye, and Alora. All suspects are currently in custody and will face charges after investigations are concluded.