|By Chinwendu Nwani
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq, has firmly rejected calls by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urging President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state over alleged links between government officials and bandits.
The opposition party made the demand during a press conference in Ilorin, citing a viral video showing suspected bandits arrested in Auchi, Edo State. In the footage, the suspects allegedly claimed that officials of the Kwara State Government supplied them with AK-47 rifles and a government-branded patrol vehicle.
PDP State Secretary, Abdulrahman Kayode, described the allegations as “grave and disturbing,” warning that failure to address them could undermine public confidence and deepen insecurity across the state. He called on federal authorities to intervene and conduct a thorough investigation.
Kayode linked the claims to a rise in violent attacks in several local government areas, including Ifelodun, Patigi, Edu, Ekiti, Isin and Irepodun. He recalled the September 28 attack on Oke-Ode community, where more than 15 people were reportedly killed, alleging that a government agent had visited the area a day earlier to disarm local hunters and vigilantes.
He also questioned the identity and role of an individual identified as “Oga Victor” in the Edo video and demanded explanations from Governor Abdulrazaq over the alleged release of arms and government vehicles to non-state actors. Kayode further urged federal security agencies to launch an independent probe and conduct a full audit of state patrol vehicles.
The Kwara State Government, however, swiftly dismissed the claims. The Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Communications, Ibraheem Abdullateef, described the allegations and the call for a state of emergency as baseless and politically motivated, accusing the PDP of spreading misinformation ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Abdullateef said the opposition party was attempting to incite unrest through what he termed “fake news,” stressing that similar claims had already been debunked by the state government.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs. Bolanle Olukoju, denied reports circulating on social media, stating that no security agency, including the Nigerian Army, arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun or any part of Kwara State. She also emphasized that the state government lacks the authority to issue AK-47 rifles.
