Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has disclosed that security operatives successfully foiled an alleged plot to bomb the Ondo State Government House a few months ago, following timely intelligence gathering and swift intervention by security agencies.

The governor made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for their involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

According to Aiyedatiwa, the suspects involved in the alleged plot were a group of five young men who had already gathered materials and equipment suspected to be intended for the fabrication of explosive devices. He said the group was operating from a hotel where they had taken refuge while preparing for the planned attack.

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He explained that intelligence reports received by security agencies triggered a coordinated response involving the Nigeria Police Force and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun. Acting on the information, operatives reportedly stormed the hotel and arrested the suspects before they could execute their mission.

“The police and Amotekun moved in, busted them in the hotel where they were arrested,” the governor said, noting that the swift operation prevented what could have been a major security breach at the seat of government.

Aiyedatiwa further disclosed that the suspects are currently in detention while investigations continue to determine the full extent of their plans, possible collaborators, and underlying motives.

He added that preliminary intelligence suggested the Government House was the intended target of the planned attack, raising concerns about the seriousness of the threat and the level of planning involved.

“We got an intelligence report, and they were arrested. Their mission was to bomb the Government House. For what reason? Only God knows,” he stated.

The governor used the opportunity to highlight ongoing efforts by the state government and security agencies to strengthen internal security, stressing that the foiled attack is evidence that proactive intelligence operations are yielding results.

He noted that while isolated security incidents may still occur, they do not reflect a lack of commitment by authorities to protect lives and property across the state.

Aiyedatiwa emphasized that collaboration between conventional security agencies and local security outfits such as Amotekun has continued to play a crucial role in preventing and responding to threats in Ondo State.

The revelation comes amid heightened national concern over security challenges, particularly in the South-West region, where states have increasingly relied on a combination of intelligence-led policing and community-based security structures to curb criminal activity.

Security analysts have often stressed the importance of timely intelligence sharing and inter-agency cooperation in preventing attacks, particularly those involving improvised explosive devices and targeted assaults on government institutions.

Meanwhile, the detained suspects are expected to face further interrogation as security agencies work to uncover the full scope of the alleged plot and ensure that any wider network involved is identified and neutralised.