We’re working with Security Agencies to prevent attacks following leaked memo – Gov assures

We’re working with Security Agencies to prevent attacks following leaked memo – Gov assures

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has appealed to residents to remain calm and not panic following reports of a possible “terrorist attack,” assuring that his administration is working with all relevant security agencies to safeguard lives and property.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, the governor said the state government remains in close contact with the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Police Force, and the Nigerian Army to prevent any security breach.

The governor’s statement followed the circulation of a leaked DSS memo alleging that suspected members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) were planning coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo and neighbouring Kogi State.

According to the confidential document dated October 20, 2025, and addressed to the Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, intelligence reports confirmed that ISWAP operatives were plotting simultaneous strikes on selected locations across the two states.

Signed by H.I. Kana on behalf of the State Director of Security, the memo identified Eriti Akoko and Oyin Akoko in Akoko North-West Local Government Area and Owo town in Owo Local Government Area among the potential targets.

It warned that the terrorist group had begun surveillance on “soft targets” and urged heightened vigilance.

“The groups have 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,” the memo stated.

Reacting to the development, Aiyedatiwa said his administration was aware of the alert and had already taken “proactive steps to safeguard residents, especially those in border communities.”

He explained that security has been strengthened across the state, particularly in identified flashpoints, with intensified surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations.

“The Ondo State Government, led by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, is in constant contact with security agencies and is taking several steps to protect residents, especially those in border communities, so that Ondo State can remain one of the safest states in the country,” the statement reads.

The governor also urged citizens to “remain calm, go about their normal daily activities, refrain from taking laws into their hands, and provide any information that may help prevent any threat in any part of the state.”

The statement clarified that the leaked memo formed part of routine intelligence-sharing among security agencies, describing it as a normal preventive measure.

“These intelligence reports often contain varying levels of threat assessment and are used in joint operations by security agencies to enhance vigilance and take proactive measures,” it noted.

Reassuring residents of their safety, the government affirmed that all security agencies were “fully engaged in ensuring that the safety and peace of the state were not compromised.”

“The public can be assured that these reports are being acted upon, and necessary precautions are being taken to ensure safety and security,” the statement said.

“The emphasis remains on maintaining vigilance and cooperation between security agencies and the government to prevent and respond to any potential threats.”

The alert comes three years after suspected ISWAP militants attacked a Catholic church in Owo, killing more than 40 worshippers during Sunday mass—a tragedy that remains one of the darkest moments in the state’s recent history.

Security analysts have in recent months warned of the southward spread of terrorist activities, raising concerns that insurgent operations once limited to Nigeria’s Northeast are gradually extending into parts of the South.