A fresh security scare has emerged in Kwara State after army troops arrested suspected bandits who allegedly claimed they were supplied with firearms and patrol vehicles by the state government.
The suspects were intercepted in Ifelodun Local Government Area while moving around in what appeared to be a local security patrol vehicle.
Security sources said the men were also found in possession of AK-47 rifles during the operation.
A video of the arrest, which has since gone viral, showed the suspects lying face down with their hands bound as soldiers questioned them at the scene.
The footage has sparked widespread concern due to the claims made by one of the detained men.
During interrogation, one suspect, who spoke in Hausa mixed with Nigerian Pidgin, told soldiers that the vehicle and rifles were not personally owned.
He alleged that both were officially supplied for patrol operations.
According to him, the group had operated in the area for some time under the guise of security patrols.
He insisted that their presence was not recent and that they had moved freely without raising suspicion.
“The motor and the guns were given to us for patrol,” the suspect said. “We have been doing this work for long, and everything we are using came from the government.”
Furthermore, the suspect shifted responsibility for the weapons to a superior officer, whom he referred to as “our oga.”
He also mentioned other individuals allegedly involved in the arrangement.
“We did not collect the rifles ourselves,” he said. “Our leader collected them, and I was there.
“We usually go on patrol together with others, including one man they call Victor. They all know about it.”
Meanwhile, other detainees captured in the video were seen murmuring prayers and religious chants as the questioning continued, suggesting visible fear and tension among the group.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kwara State government nor the Nigerian Army had released an official response to the allegations or clarified the status of the suspects.
However, the arrest comes at a time of growing insecurity around the Kwara-Kogi boundary, an area increasingly troubled by kidnapping and armed attacks.
Just days before the interception, suspected terrorists reportedly abducted three young men returning from their mother’s burial in Agboro, Kwara State.
The incident occurred along the Odo-Ogbe axis in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victims were identified as Isanlu Bidemi, 33; Olumide, 30; and their 17-year-old cousin, Moses. Family sources said the abductors demanded N10 million each as ransom.
Although relatives managed to raise ₦3 million, the kidnappers allegedly rejected the payment and escalated threats against the captives.
The family described the situation as devastating, noting that the victims were already grieving when they were taken.
AFRIPOST reports that the latest arrest, if fully investigated, could expose deeper challenges within local security coordination in the region.
Moreover, public pressure especially online is mounting on authorities to clarify the allegations and restore confidence in ongoing security operations.
Watch the video HERE.