Following the Department of State Services alert on Tuesday that there was a plot by the Islamic State West Africa Province to attack Ondo and Kogi states, states have activated surveillance and counter-terror measures against the ISWAP plot.
Kogi shares a boundary with 10 states. They include Benue in the East, Anambra in the South, Enugu in the South-East, Edo in the South-West, and Ondo in the West.
Others are Ekiti in the West, Kwara in the West, Niger in the North, Nasarawa in the North-East, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Concerned by the development, the state governors have called on the residents to remain calm and vigilant, assuring that they have fortified the security system to thwart any attacks.
The Department of State Services had on Tuesday alerted the Nigerian Army to an alleged plot by ISWAP to launch coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo and Kogi states. In a confidential letter addressed to the Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, the secret police warned of “imminent attacks” by ISWAP terrorists and urged heightened surveillance and security deployment across vulnerable areas.
The letter, signed by H. I. Kana on behalf of the State Director of Security, was titled, ‘Imminent Attacks in Ondo State by Members of ISWAP.’
According to the document, the targeted communities in Ondo State include Eriti-Akoko and Oyin-Akoko in Akoko North-West Local Government Area, as well as Owo town, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area. “Intelligence confirmed plans by members of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) to carry out coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo and Kogi States anytime soon,” the letter read in part.
“It was further gathered that the group has commenced surveillance on potential soft targets in the above-mentioned locations. Consequently, there is a need to scale up the level of security alertness in the various communities to forestall any untoward situation,” it added.
The security agency called for immediate action by the army and other relevant forces to prevent the attacks, stressing the importance of community vigilance. The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the development, saying the police were already acting on the intelligence.
“That’s partly why we were in Akoko on Sunday. Everyone is taking steps to ensure no event takes us unawares,” Ayanlade said.
The alert comes more than three years after terrorists suspected to be ISWAP members attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, on June 5, 2022, killing 41 worshippers and injuring dozens.
