…says suspects in viral video were arrested outside the state as investigations continue
The Kwara State Government has dismissed claims circulating on social media that the Nigerian Army arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area, describing the reports as false and capable of causing unnecessary panic.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, the government said no security agency, including the Nigerian Army, carried out any arrest of armed bandits in Ifelodun or any other part of Kwara State.
“The Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandits in any part of Ifelodun,” the statement said, adding that the government had closely reviewed the viral video in which some suspects claimed they were in possession of a vehicle allegedly given to them by the “Ilorin Government” and weapons supposedly sourced “from Abuja.”
According to the state government, while the content of the video and the circumstances surrounding the suspects are under investigation, available information indicates that the individuals were not arrested in Kwara State. Rather, they were reportedly apprehended in Auchi, Edo State. The government said further details are being awaited to clarify the situation.
The statement also clarified that no state government has the authority to arm individuals with AK-47 rifles, stressing that the suspects did not claim that the Kwara State Government provided them with any weapons.
On the issue of the vehicle mentioned in the video, the government said the Ifelodun Local Government Authority had confirmed that a security van was earlier provided to vigilantes deployed in the area to support security efforts. However, the vigilantes have since left Ifelodun, and the local government had previously reported that the vehicle was not returned to its custody.
The state government called for stronger interagency coordination, intelligence sharing, and cooperation among security agencies as part of efforts to curb banditry and other violent crimes.
It also urged members of the public, especially online media platforms and bloggers, to exercise restraint and avoid misrepresenting security-related information.
“Biased assimilation or misrepresentation of information poses a serious threat to human lives and public peace,” the statement said, assuring residents that security agencies are probing the matter and that the government remains committed to public safety.
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