Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq has rejected calls by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state over alleged links between government officials and bandits.
The PDP made the call during a press conference in Ilorin, citing a viral video of suspected bandits arrested in Auchi, Edo State.
In the video, 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 claims as “grave and disturbing” and warned that if left unaddressed, the allegations could erode public trust and worsen insecurity in the state.
He urged federal authorities to intervene and investigate the matter.
Kayode linked the video to a surge 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, noting that a government agent allegedly visited the area to disarm local hunters and vigilantes the day before the attack.
He raised questions about the identity and role of “Oga Victor,” a name mentioned in the Edo State video, and demanded answers from Governor Abdulrazaq regarding the alleged release of weapons and government vehicles to non-state actors.
Kayode also called on federal security agencies to launch an independent investigation and urged a full audit of state patrol vehicles.
In response, Governor Abdulrazaq’s Senior Special Assistant on Communications, Ibraheem Abdullateef, dismissed the PDP’s claims as politically motivated ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
He described the demand for a state of emergency as “baseless” and accused the party of using fake news to create unrest.
The Kwara State Government had earlier denied similar claims circulating on social media.
Commissioner for Communications, Mrs. Bolanle Olukoju, stated that no security agency, including the Nigerian Army, arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun or any part of Kwara, and that the state government has no authority to issue AK-47 rifles.
