Security operatives have arrested suspected armed bandits intercepted during an operation in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, recovering AK-47 rifles. The suspects were taken into custody on Friday after troops stopped them in the area, according to reports. A video circulating online shows the suspects prostrated with hands tied as operatives questioned them about the source of the weapons.
In the video, one suspect alleged that officials of the Kwara State government supplied the group with a vehicle and rifles, claiming they operated under the guise of patrols. “We have been here for quite a while. We are using the vehicle for patrol… Ilorin government na him give us this motor and the weapons,” he said, adding that the arms were collected by their superior.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, and police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi did not respond to requests for comment. Kwara has recorded increased attacks in Edu, Ifelodun and Ekiti LGAs, prompting school closures and additional security measures, including forest guards, while President Bola Tinubu recently ordered nationwide security reinforcements.