Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has revealed how security forces stopped a bombing plot targeting Ondo Government House in Akure. He disclosed the foiled attack during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today programme.
Intelligence operatives uncovered the scheme three to four months ago. The discovery prompted immediate action by law enforcement agencies.
According to Aiyedatiwa, a group of youths had been planning the attack on the seat of government. They initially stayed at a hotel before moving to a rented apartment.
Police and Amotekun Corps officers raided the apartment based on the intelligence. They arrested the suspects and recovered materials linked to the plot.
"Following intelligence reports, the police and Amotekun moved in, raided the location, arrested the suspects, and they remain in custody," he noted. Investigations into their motives are still ongoing.
Aiyedatiwa stressed that this represented just one of several recent security victories in the state. He emphasised how such successes often escape public attention.
"So much work is being done," the governor told Channels Television. "Security is one responsibility that leaders carry that is not so visible to everybody."
He pointed out that breakthroughs only become obvious when attacks happen. Prevented incidents rarely make headlines, he added.
"It is only when there is a lapse that it will look as if the government has not been doing enough," Aiyedatiwa said. "We have been doing so much."
South-West governors have been strengthening regional security through intelligence sharing, the governor noted. Amotekun and other security outfits have benefited from this collaboration.
Aiyedatiwa also welcomed the recent conviction of four persons in connection with the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo.
He called the verdict "a victory for justice and the rule of law."
He assured residents of continued commitment to their safety and security. Enhanced surveillance, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency cooperation will remain priorities, he promised.
