A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mashood Bakare, on Sunday in Ilorin called on the Federal Government to probe allegations that the Kwara State Government armed bandits operating in parts of the state. He made the call after a viral video showed suspected bandits arrested by soldiers claiming they received weapons and a patrol vehicle linked to Ifelodun Local Government.
The video, which circulated online over the weekend, showed armed men lying on the ground while being questioned by soldiers. The suspects were allegedly found with AK-47 rifles and a security patrol vehicle bearing the name of Ifelodun Local Government Area. One of the suspects claimed the vehicle and weapons were provided by authorities in Ilorin and said they had been moving around under the cover of security patrols.
Bakare described the claims as troubling, noting that government has a duty to protect lives and property. He said insecurity in Ifelodun Local Government had worsened, forcing many residents to abandon farming and flee their communities. He added that the accusations were serious and required an open investigation, with findings made available to the public. He also urged residents to support security agencies with useful information.
In response, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, rejected the allegations and described them as false information. He stated that the suspects were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, and not in Kwara. He added that the men claimed the weapons came from Abuja, not Kwara, and questioned how Abuja could be linked to the state government. He also said the local council had already explained the issue surrounding the patrol vehicle.
Ajakaye further said the security challenges in Kwara were part of wider regional problems spilling over from neighbouring states and nearby countries. He added that attacking one another would not solve the crisis and called for cooperation to tackle criminal activities.
The Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Hadji Femi Yusuf, also reacted by confirming that a security van earlier given to vigilante groups by the council was recovered in Auchi by the Nigerian Army. He explained that the vehicle was provided as logistics support during security operations and became difficult to retrieve after the vigilantes were withdrawn. He praised security agencies for recovering the vehicle and working to restore calm.
The situation has renewed concerns over insecurity in Ifelodun Local Government, which has suffered repeated bandit attacks. The controversy follows earlier reports of deadly attacks in the area and claims by locals that their weapons were taken shortly before one such incident. While state officials had denied those claims, later findings linked the officer involved to a federal security team deployed to fight banditry.
As investigations continue, the disagreement between the former lawmaker and the state government has kept public attention on the growing security challenges facing parts of Kwara State.