The Kwara State Government has debunked reports circulating on social media claiming that the Nigerian Army arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, describing the reports as false and misleading.
The clarification followed the circulation of a viral video in which some suspects, allegedly arrested in Ifelodun, claimed they were supplied with weapons and a vehicle by the state government.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju, the government stated that no armed bandit was arrested by the Army or any other security agency in Ifelodun or anywhere else in Kwara State.
“Kwara State Government wishes to state clearly that the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandit in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, contrary to the misinformation being spread on social media platforms,” the statement said.
According to the commissioner, the government reviewed the video in circulation in which the suspects claimed to be in possession of a vehicle allegedly provided by the “Ilorin Government” and weapons said to have been sourced “from Abuja.”
However, she clarified that the suspects were not arrested in Kwara State, noting that no security agency, including the Army, reported any such arrest within the state.
“They were reportedly arrested in Auchi, Edo State. More details are being awaited to provide further clarity,” the statement added.
The government also emphasised that no state government has the legal authority to arm individuals with AK-47 rifles, adding that the suspects did not, in the video, state that the Kwara State Government supplied them with any weapons.
Further clarification revealed that the Ifelodun Local Government Authority confirmed that the security vehicle referenced in the video was originally provided to vigilantes deployed in the area to support local security efforts.
According to the statement, the vigilantes have since left Ifelodun, while the local government has repeatedly complained that the vehicle was never returned.
While investigations into the matter are ongoing, the Kwara State Government called for enhanced inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies to effectively combat banditry and other violent crimes.
THERE IS NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE