ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mashood Bakare, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to launch an immediate and transparent probe into allegations that the Kwara State Government supplied arms and logistics to suspected bandits operating in the state.
Bakare made the appeal in Ilorin on Sunday while reacting to claims by suspected bandits recently arrested by the military, who alleged that they were sponsored by the state government.
However, the Kwara State Government swiftly rejected the accusations, describing them as misleading and deliberately false.
According to The Punch, Bakare said the allegations were troubling and required urgent scrutiny, stressing that government bears the constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.
“It is very disturbing to hear that criminals, when arrested, are alleging that the state government is aware of or involved in their activities,” he said.
The controversy followed the circulation of a one-minute, 36-second viral video showing soldiers interrogating suspected bandits allegedly intercepted with AK-47 rifles and a local security patrol vehicle bearing the inscription of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In the footage, the suspects were seen lying face down with their hands tied as soldiers questioned them about the origin of the vehicle and the weapons recovered.
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One of the suspects, who spoke in Hausa and Pidgin English, claimed that both the patrol vehicle and the rifles were supplied by the “Ilorin government,” adding that they had been operating under the guise of security patrol.
“We have been here for quite a while. We are using the vehicle for patrol. Wallahi, na the truth I dey tell you,” the suspect said.
“Ilorin government na him give us this motor and the weapons. They were the ones that gave us the rifles.”
The suspect further alleged that the firearms were collected by a superior identified as “oga Victor,” claiming they had carried out several patrols alongside security operatives who were allegedly complicit.
Reacting to the video, Bakare said the claims were weighty and could not be dismissed without investigation, particularly given the worsening security situation in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
“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 between 2011 and 2019, urged authorities to ensure that any investigation carried out is thorough and its outcome made public.
“These are serious allegations that must be properly investigated, and the findings should be made public,” he added.
He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by sharing credible intelligence.
But reacting on behalf of the state government, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, dismissed the allegations as “sheer disinformation.”
“Anyone who understands Hausa will see that the fellows said they got weapons from Abuja. How is Abuja synonymous with Kwara?” Ajakaye queried.
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He further clarified that the suspects were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, not in Ifelodun, Kwara State, adding that the local government had already explained the circumstances surrounding the patrol vehicle seen in the video.
Ajakaye linked the insecurity in Kwara to broader regional challenges, including spillovers from neighbouring states and the Sahel crisis.
“We are facing a serious security threat, partly a blowback from the crisis in the Sahel. Our former advantage of thickly forested landmass has become a major enabler of this crisis, which is spilling over from neighbouring Kogi, Niger and Benin Republic,” he said.
“Solution lies not in maligning one another; it lies in seeing our collective enemies and uniting to end the evil.”
Also responding, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Hadji Femi Yusuf, confirmed the recovery of a security van earlier provided by the council to vigilante operatives.
In a statement made available, Yusuf said the vehicle was recovered in Auchi, Edo State, by personnel of the Nigerian Army.
“Ifelodun Local Government Authority has received with immense satisfaction the report of the successful recovery of a security van earlier provided by the council as logistical support to some vigilante operatives,” the statement read.
He explained that the vehicle was deployed to support coordinated security operations but became difficult to retrieve following the withdrawal of vigilante operatives, prompting reports to security agencies.
Yusuf commended the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for their efforts in recovering the vehicle and restoring calm in the area.
The renewed controversy has once again drawn attention to the lingering security challenges in Ifelodun LGA, which has suffered repeated bandit attacks.