Kwara State Government has absolved its officials from accusation of procuring arms to bandits as contained in a viral video on social media on Sunday.
A video had emerged on social media showing some arrested bandits who confessed to soldiers that they got AK-47 in their custody from an official of “Ilorin state”.
Reacting to the video, Kwara State Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju described it as misinformation, stating that the arrest was not made in Kwara.
She said, 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.
“First, the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandits in any part of Ifelodun.
“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. No security agency, including the Army, ever reported such arrests in Kwara. They were reportedly arrested in Auchi, Edo State. Further details are awaited for more clarity.
“Indeed, no State Government has the power to arm anyone with AK-47. Neither did the individuals mention that Kwara State Government gave them any weapon. The Ifelodun Local Government Authority, for its part, has clarified that the security van was given to the vigilantes initially deployed in Ifelodun to strengthen existing security. These vigilantes have since left Ifelodun. However, the LGA had repeatedly complained to relevant authorities that its van was not returned to its pool.
“To win the war against banditry and other violent crimes, we urge enhanced interagency coordination, intelligence sharing, and cooperation amongst the security agencies.
“As the security forces are probing the development, we urge people, especially online media platforms and bloggers, to avoid biased assimilation of information or misrepresenting things, because such behaviour poses existential threat to human life and public peace.”
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