Akure, Ondo State – Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has disclosed that security operatives successfully thwarted an alleged plot by five youths to bomb the Ondo State Government House several months ago.
The governor made the revelation on Wednesday during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four persons to death by hanging for their involvement in the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo.
According to Aiyedatiwa, the suspects had assembled bomb-making materials and other equipment in a hotel where they were lodged before security agencies received intelligence about their activities.
Acting on the intelligence, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, raided the hotel and arrested the suspects before they could execute the planned attack.
The governor said the suspects remain in detention while investigations continue.
Aiyedatiwa stated that preliminary findings indicated that the group intended to target the Ondo State Government House, although the motive behind the alleged plot remains unclear.
“We have been doing so much. I will give you an example. I think it’s about three or four months ago, some youth, about five of them, wanted to bomb the Government House,” the governor said.
“They were in a hotel and had all the equipment and gadgets needed. We received intelligence, and the police and Amotekun moved in and arrested them before they could carry out their mission. They are still in detention right now.”
The governor cited the incident as evidence of the proactive efforts of security agencies in combating threats across the state, stressing that isolated security incidents should not be interpreted as a failure of the government’s overall security strategy.
His comments come amid renewed public discussions on security following the conviction and sentencing of four individuals linked to the 2022 Owo church massacre, which claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers and left over 100 others injured.
Aiyedatiwa maintained that security agencies remain vigilant and committed to preventing attacks and ensuring the safety of residents across Ondo State.
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