A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mashood Bakare, has called on the Federal Government to investigate claims that the Kwara State Government supplied weapons and logistics to bandits operating in parts of the state.
Bakare made the call in Ilorin after a viral video showed suspected bandits arrested by the military alleging that they were sponsored by the state government. The suspects claimed they received firearms and a patrol vehicle from the “Ilorin government” and operated under the cover of security patrols.
However, the Kwara State Government has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as false and misleading.
In the video, which circulated online over the weekend, soldiers were seen interrogating suspects allegedly found with rifles inside a patrol vehicle bearing markings of Ifelodun Local Government Area. One of the suspects, speaking in Hausa and Pidgin English, claimed the vehicle and weapons were supplied by government officials and that they had carried out patrols alongside security operatives.
Reacting to the claims, Bakare described the allegations as troubling and called for a transparent investigation. He stressed that government has a constitutional duty to protect lives and property and said the claims, if left unaddressed, could further erode public trust.
He also expressed concern over the worsening security situation in Ifelodun Local Government Area, noting that repeated attacks had displaced residents and disrupted farming activities across several communities.
“These are serious claims that should be thoroughly investigated, and the outcome made public,” Bakare said, urging residents to support security agencies with credible information.
In response, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, dismissed the allegations as disinformation. He stated that the suspects were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, not in Kwara, and argued that the suspects’ own statements indicated the weapons came from Abuja, not Ilorin.
Ajakaye also explained that insecurity in Kwara is linked to broader regional challenges, including spillovers from neighbouring states and the wider Sahel region. He urged stakeholders to focus on collective efforts to tackle criminal activities rather than trading accusations.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, Hadji Femi Yusuf, confirmed that a security van earlier provided to vigilante groups by the council was recovered in Auchi by the Nigerian Army. He said the vehicle was meant to support security operations but became unaccounted for after vigilante operatives withdrew.
Yusuf commended the military and other security agencies for recovering the vehicle and reaffirmed the council’s commitment to restoring peace in the area.
The controversy has renewed public concern over insecurity in Ifelodun LGA, which has experienced repeated attacks in recent months. Previous allegations involving the withdrawal of local hunters’ weapons before a deadly attack in the area have also resurfaced, though government officials have denied any wrongdoing.
