Residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, were on the brink of a major security disaster after the police uncovered and foiled an alleged bomb attack targeting critical government facilities, leading to the arrest of six suspects.
The Ondo State Police Command said the operation, carried out on April 15, 2026, followed credible intelligence on a suspected criminal network believed to be planning coordinated attacks within and beyond the state.
Parading the suspects on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed that operatives swiftly moved in on the group’s hideout in the Oke-Odu area of Akure, apprehending them before the plot could be executed.
A search conducted at the location uncovered materials suspected to be used in the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices, alongside other items linked to criminal activity. Recovered exhibits included 217 bottles, a sack of sugar, 17 mobile phones, two laptops, ₦187,000 in cash, motorcycles, and suspected charms.
Those arrested were identified as Adekunle Prosper (56), Ojo Olumide (39), Tope Kolawole (40), Ahmed Salihu (40), Bolaji Adebowale (46), and Gbadebo Abidemi (43).
Lawal revealed that preliminary investigations indicated the suspects were already assembling explosive devices, with plans to deploy them at strategic locations. He added that officers also recovered a document detailing potential targets, pointing to what he described as a well-coordinated and premeditated operation.
The police boss urged landlords and property managers to exercise greater caution in screening tenants, warning that residential buildings are increasingly being exploited as operational bases for criminal activities.
In a separate operation, the command said it arrested 10 suspected cultists, including a wanted kingpin, during a raid in Ondo Town.
According to Lawal, one of the suspects, Oluwatosin Temitope, had been on the police watchlist over alleged involvement in multiple violent incidents.
He was linked to the shooting of an individual identified as “Primo” in March 2026, as well as an earlier attack at a popular bar in 2025.
Items recovered from the cult suspects included a firearm, cutlasses, a battle axe, cult insignia, and charms.
The police said the suspects were affiliated with notorious groups such as Aiye, Eiye, and Alora confraternities.
Reaffirming the command’s commitment to tackling crime, Lawal commended the operatives for their swift response, noting that intelligence-led policing remains key to addressing evolving security threats.
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He assured residents of sustained efforts to protect lives and property, adding that all suspects would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations.
