Kwara Government Dismisses Claims Linking State Officials to Bandits in Viral Video
Story: written by Uzuh Rita December 15,2025
The Kwara State Government has refuted claims circulating online that armed bandits were arrested by the Nigerian Army in Ifelodun Local Government Area, describing the reports as inaccurate and misleading.
The denial followed the emergence of a viral video in which some suspects allegedly arrested in Ifelodun claimed they received weapons and a vehicle from the state government.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju, the state government clarified that no armed bandit was arrested by the Nigerian Army or any other security agency in Ifelodun or elsewhere in Kwara State.
“The Kwara State Government wishes to state clearly that the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area, contrary to the false narratives being circulated on social media,” the statement said.
Olukoju explained that the government had reviewed the video in question, where the suspects alleged they were in possession of a vehicle supposedly supplied by the “Ilorin Government” and arms sourced “from Abuja.”
She, however, noted that the individuals shown in the video were not apprehended in Kwara State. According to available information, the suspects were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, while further details are still being investigated.
The government also emphasised that no state government has the legal power to distribute AK-47 rifles, stressing that the suspects did not directly state in the video that the Kwara State Government provided them with any weapons.
Offering additional clarification, the commissioner disclosed that the Ifelodun Local Government Authority confirmed the security vehicle mentioned in the video was originally allocated to local vigilantes operating in the area to support security efforts.
She added that the vigilante group had since withdrawn from Ifelodun, and the local government had on several occasions raised concerns that the vehicle was not returned.
While investigations continue, the Kwara State Government called for stronger cooperation and intelligence sharing among security agencies to effectively combat banditry and other violent crimes.
