December 15, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
The Kwara State Government has reacted to a viral video circulating on social media that shows suspected armed bandits in possession of AK-47 rifles alongside a security vehicle branded with the logo of Ifelodun Local Government Area.
In the widely shared footage, the suspects claimed that the operational vehicle had been supplied to them by the “Ilorin government” and further alleged that their weapons were sourced “from Abuja.” The video sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians questioning how a government-branded vehicle ended up in the hands of armed criminals.
Responding to the development, the Kwara State Government, through the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs. Bolanle Olukoju, denied reports that the Nigerian Army arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
The commissioner described such reports as false and misleading, adding that no security agency had reported any arrest of bandits within Ifelodun or any part of Kwara State.
“Kwara State Government wishes to clarify that the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandit in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, contrary to the disinformation spreading on social media platforms,” the statement read.
According to the government, the suspects seen in the viral video were not arrested in Kwara State but in Auchi, Edo State.
“We have carefully watched the short video in circulation in which some individuals arrested said they were in possession of a vehicle given to them by ‘Ilorin government’ and weapons they received ‘from Abuja.’ While the content of the video and the whole circumstances around the suspects are being investigated, it is important to clarify that the suspects were not arrested in Ifelodun or any part of Kwara,” the statement said.
The government added that no security agency, including the Nigerian Army, had reported any arrest of bandits in the state, stressing that further details were being awaited from relevant authorities for clarity.
Addressing claims about the source of the weapons, the state government maintained that no state government has the legal authority to distribute AK-47 rifles, arguing that the suspects did not explicitly state that the Kwara State Government supplied them with arms.
On the presence of the Ifelodun-branded vehicle, the government said the security van was originally provided to vigilante groups deployed to Ifelodun Local Government Area to support local security operations, adding that investigations were ongoing to determine how the vehicle ended up in the possession of the suspects.
The Kwara State Government urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information and assured residents that it remains committed to supporting security agencies in maintaining peace and safety across the state.
