By Ayo Kehinde
The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a suspected bomb-making cell in Akure, arresting six persons and recovering materials linked to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), in an operation that security authorities say prevented a potentially devastating attack on public infrastructure.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed on Thursday that the suspects were apprehended at a critical stage of assembling explosive devices, with evidence pointing to a coordinated and premeditated plot.
According to Lawal, the suspects, including Adekunle Prosper (56), Ojo Olumide (39), Tope Kolawole (40), Ahmed Salihu (40), Bolaji Adebowale (46), and Gbadebo Abidemi (43), had recently rented an apartment in the Oke-Odu area of Akure, which they allegedly converted into an operational base for bomb-making activities.
The arrests, carried out on Wednesday, April 15, followed what the police described as credible and actionable intelligence on a criminal syndicate suspected to be operating across state lines, raising concerns about a broader network beyond Ondo State.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, operatives were strategically deployed to the location, where the suspects were apprehended before they could execute their planned attack,” Lawal said.
A search of the apartment revealed what police sources described as a structured operational setup.
Items recovered included materials suspected to be used in the construction of IEDs, alongside 17 mobile phones, two HP laptops, an external hard drive, N187,000 in cash, identity cards, a National Identity Number (NIN) card, two motorcycles, eight slings, a knife, as well as over 200 bottles, bags of sugar, and suspected criminal charms.
Police said preliminary assessments indicate that some of the recovered materials were directly linked to the fabrication of explosive devices, while others were used to coordinate and support the group’s activities.
More significantly, investigators recovered a document mapping out potential target locations, a development that underscores the level of planning behind the operation and suggests that the intended attack was neither random nor speculative.
“Early findings reveal that the group was actively engaged in assembling Improvised Explosive Devices intended for deployment on government infrastructure,” Lawal said, adding that the scope of the operation may extend beyond Akure to other parts of the country.
While commending the operatives for acting on intelligence that ultimately averted a possible tragedy, Lawal urged landlords and property managers to strengthen tenant verification processes to prevent criminal elements from exploiting private residences.
“This operation highlights the need for vigilance at all levels. Property owners must conduct proper background checks to ensure their premises are not used for unlawful purposes,” he said.
The suspects are currently in police custody as investigations intensify to uncover possible collaborators, funding sources, and the full extent of the network.
Authorities say the operation underscores both the growing sophistication of internal security threats and the critical role of intelligence-led policing in preventing attacks before they occur.
