***Police recover suspected explosive materials, target list as investigation widens to possible wider criminal network in Ondo State
The Ondo State Police Command has foiled a suspected bomb attack in Akure, arresting six individuals and recovering materials believed to be components for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing, describing the operation as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to counter emerging security threats in the state.
Lawal said the suspects were arrested on April 15, 2026, following credible intelligence on the activities of a criminal syndicate operating within and outside Ondo State. According to him, police operatives were swiftly deployed to a location in Akure, where the suspects were intercepted before they could execute their alleged plan.
A search conducted at the scene and at a residential apartment in the Oke-Odu area of Akure led to the recovery of several items, including 217 bottles, a bag of sugar, charms, 17 mobile phones, ₦187,000 in cash, two laptops, eight slings, a knife, an external hard drive, identity cards, a National Identification Number (NIN) card, and two motorcycles.
The police noted that preliminary investigations suggest that some of the recovered materials were intended for the production of explosive devices, while others were linked to broader coordinated criminal activities.
Detectives also reportedly discovered a document containing suspected target locations, raising concerns that the planned attack may have been carefully coordinated and capable of causing significant casualties and destruction.
Lawal further disclosed that early findings indicate the group may have been involved in assembling IEDs allegedly targeted at government infrastructure, adding that investigations are ongoing to uncover possible collaborators and sponsors, including links beyond Akure.
He urged landlords and property managers across the state to conduct proper background checks on prospective tenants, warning that residential buildings should not be allowed to serve as operational bases for criminal elements.
The police said the suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
