A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mashood Bakare, has urged 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 speaking with The PUNCH following claims by suspected bandits arrested by the military that they were sponsored by the state government.

But the Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s Chief Press Secretary, 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.

The PUNCH reports that a one-minute, 36-second viral video had gone viral obtained on Saturday, showing soldiers interrogating a group of suspected bandits allegedly found patrolling with AK-47 rifles in a local security patrol vehicle, bearing the inscription of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

In the video, the suspects were seen lying face down with their hands tied as soldiers questioned them about their activities and the source of the weapons recovered.

One of the suspects, speaking in Hausa and Pidgin English, claimed that the patrol vehicle and rifles were provided by the “Ilorin government,” alleging 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 weapons were collected by their superior, identified as “Oga Victor,” claiming that they had gone on several patrols alongside security operatives who were allegedly involved.

Reacting, the ex-state lawmaker, Bakare, described the allegations as disturbing, stressing that government is constitutionally responsible for the protection of 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.

He lamented the worsening security situation in Ifelodun Local Government Area, noting that 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,” Bakare said.

The former lawmaker, who represented Omupo Constituency between 2011 and 2019, described the allegations as weighty and called for a transparent investigation.

“These are serious allegations that must be properly investigated, and the findings should be made public,” he added.

Bakare also urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to curb insecurity in the area.

However, reacting to the claims on a WhatsApp platform, Omo Ibile Igbomina (Éka Ifelodun), on Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, dismissed the allegations as “sheer disinformation.”

According to Ajakaye, the suspects were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, and not in Ifelodun, Kwara State.

“Anyone who understands Hausa will see that the fellows said they got weapons from Abuja. How is Abuja synonymous with Kwara?” he said.

He added that the Ifelodun Local Government had already issued clarification on the patrol vehicle seen in the video.

Ajakaye further linked the insecurity in Kwara to wider regional challenges.

“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 reacting, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Hadji Femi Yusuf, confirmed the recovery of a security van earlier provided by the council as logistical support to vigilante operatives.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday, 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 to curb the activities of criminal gangs in parts of the local government.

According to the chairman, efforts to retrieve the vehicle became difficult after the withdrawal of the vigilante operatives, prompting reports to security agencies.

He commended the Nigerian Army and other security institutions for their roles in the recovery and ongoing efforts to restore peace in the area.

Meanwhile, the controversy has revived concerns over insecurity in Kwara State, particularly in Ifelodun LGA, which has witnessed repeated bandit attacks. (The PUNCH)

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