EX-LAWMAKER URGES PROBE AS BANDITS ALLEGE KWARA GOVT SUPPLIED ARMS
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A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mashood Bakare, has called on the Federal Government to urgently investigate allegations that the Kwara State Government supplied arms and ammunition to bandits terrorising parts of the state.
Bakare made the call on Sunday in Ilorin while reacting to claims by suspected bandits arrested by Nigerian soldiers that they were sponsored by the state government. The call followed the circulation of a viral video showing soldiers interrogating suspected bandits allegedly found with AK-47 rifles and a local security patrol vehicle bearing the inscription of Ifelodun Local Government Area.
In the video, the suspects were seen lying face down with their hands tied as soldiers questioned them about the source of the weapons and the patrol vehicle. One of the suspects, speaking in Hausa and Nigerian Pidgin, alleged that both the vehicle and the rifles were supplied by the “Ilorin government,” claiming they operated under the guise of a security patrol.
The suspect further alleged that the weapons were collected by their superior, identified as “Victor,” and claimed they had carried out several patrols alongside security operatives who were allegedly complicit.
Describing the allegations as disturbing, Bakare stressed that the government bears constitutional responsibility for protecting lives and property. He lamented the deteriorating security situation in Ifelodun Local Government Area, saying persistent bandit attacks had forced residents to abandon farming and displaced entire communities.
“Almost half of Ifelodun has experienced bandit attacks. People can no longer go to their farms, communities have been deserted, and residents now live in fear,” he said.
Bakare, who represented Omupo Constituency from 2011 to 2019, described the claims as weighty and urged a transparent investigation, adding that the findings should be made public. He also called on residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information.
However, the Kwara State Government dismissed the allegations as false. In a reaction on Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, described the claims as “sheer disinformation,” insisting that the suspects were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, not in Kwara.
Ajakaye argued that the suspects themselves mentioned Abuja as the source of the weapons and questioned how that could be linked to the Kwara State Government. He added that Ifelodun Local Government had already issued clarification on the patrol vehicle seen in the video.
He further attributed the insecurity in Kwara to wider regional challenges, citing spillovers from crises in the Sahel and neighbouring states such as Kogi, Niger and Benin Republic. According to him, the solution lies in collective action against criminal elements rather than mutual accusations.
Also reacting, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Femi Yusuf, confirmed the recovery of a security van earlier provided by the council as logistical support to vigilante operatives. In a statement, Yusuf said the vehicle was recovered in Auchi, Edo State, by personnel of the Nigerian Army.
He explained that the van had been deployed to support coordinated security operations but became difficult to retrieve after the withdrawal of the vigilante operatives, prompting reports to security agencies. Yusuf commended the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for their role in recovering the vehicle and restoring peace.
The controversy has renewed concerns over insecurity in Kwara State, particularly in Ifelodun LGA, which has witnessed repeated bandit attacks in recent years.
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