Police Foil Bomb Plot, Arrest Six Suspects In Ondo State

The Commissioner of Police, Lawal Adebowale, disclosed this during a press briefing held in Akure, where he confirmed that the suspects were apprehended following credible intelligence on the activities of a suspected criminal syndicate operating across state lines.

The arrested individuals include Adekunle Prosper (56), Ojo Olumide (39), Tope Kolawole (40), Ahmed Salihu (40), Bolaji Adebowale (46), and Gbadebo Abidemi (43), a female suspect.

According to the police chief, the operation was carried out on April 15 after operatives acted swiftly on intelligence reports, leading to the interception of the suspects before they could execute the alleged attack. He added that materials suspected to be components for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from the suspects.

Further search operations at the scene and in a rented apartment in the Oke-Odu area of Akure reportedly led to the discovery of additional items, including bottles, a bag of sugar, suspected charms, mobile phones, cash, laptops, slings, a knife, an external hard drive, identity cards, motorcycles, and other incriminating materials.

Adebowale explained that preliminary investigations suggest some of the recovered items were intended for assembling explosive devices, while others may have supported coordinated criminal activities. He further noted that the group allegedly used the rented apartment as a base of operations.

He also revealed that a document mapping out possible target locations was recovered, indicating what appeared to be a premeditated and coordinated plan to attack critical locations.

The police commissioner commended the timely intervention of operatives, stating that their swift action prevented what could have resulted in loss of lives and extensive damage to property.