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Kwara govt says no bandits were arrested in Ifelodun LGA, debunking viral video allegations
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State officials deny supplying arms or vehicles to bandits, say suspects were arrested in Edo State
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Kwara govt urges calm, calls for stronger inter-agency collaboration to tackle banditry
The Kwara State Government has dismissed claims circulating on social media linking state officials to armed bandits, describing the reports as false, misleading and unfounded.
The clarification followed a viral video in which some suspects allegedly arrested in Ifelodun Local Government Area claimed they were supplied with arms and a vehicle by the state government.
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In a statement issued on Sunday, the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju, said the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandit in Ifelodun or any other part of Kwara State.
“Kwara State Government wishes to clarify that the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandit in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, contrary to the disinformation spreading on social media platforms,” the statement said.
Olukoju explained that although the government had reviewed the video in circulation, the suspects shown were not arrested in Kwara State.
“No security agency, including the Army, ever reported such arrests in Kwara. The suspects were reportedly arrested in Auchi, Edo State. Further details are awaited for clarity,” she added.
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The government also stressed that no state government has the authority to arm individuals with AK-47 rifles, noting that the suspects did not explicitly state in the video that the Kwara State Government supplied them with weapons.
Providing further clarification, the commissioner said the Ifelodun Local Government Authority confirmed that the vehicle referenced in the video was a security van earlier provided to vigilantes to support local security operations.
According to her, the vigilantes have since left the area, while the local government had repeatedly complained that the vehicle was not returned.
While investigations into the matter are ongoing, the Kwara State Government called for enhanced intelligence sharing and inter-agency collaboration among security agencies to effectively combat banditry and other violent crimes.
