The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the release of six vigilante members who were earlier arrested by Nigerian Army personnel in Edo State for allegedly possessing firearms while patrolling in a government-branded vehicle.
Naijaonpoint reports that the command, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the suspects were handed over on December 31, 2025, by the Brigade Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, Brigadier General N. N. Rume, for profiling and investigation.
The arrested individuals, who were initially intercepted along the Auchi–Ikpeshi Road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State in early December, were found travelling in a vehicle belonging to Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
“Following a thorough investigation, it was established that the individuals are legitimate members of a vigilante group operating in collaboration with recognised security agencies in the ongoing efforts to combat banditry and other forms of criminality,” the statement read.
The command added that the vigilantes were exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing and subsequently released to their respective leaders.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to deepening synergy with community-based security outfits and emphasised the importance of operating strictly within legal frameworks.
He assured residents of the state of the police’s continued dedication to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property across the state.
The incident gained national attention following the circulation of a 36-second video on December 14, 2025, which showed Nigerian soldiers interrogating a group of men lying face down with their hands tied. The men were alleged to have been caught in possession of AK-47 rifles while patrolling in a vehicle bearing Ifelodun Local Government insignia.
One of the men, speaking in Hausa and Pidgin English, claimed that the vehicle and rifles were provided by the Ilorin government.
“We have been here for quite a while. We are using the vehicle for patrol. Wallahi, na the truth I dey tell you. The Ilorin government na him give us this motor and the weapons. They were the ones that gave us the rifles,” the suspect said in the video.
Kwara Government Denies Arming Vigilantes
In response to the viral footage and widespread speculation, the Kwara State Government categorically denied the claims, insisting no bandits were arrested within the state or by any security agency in connection with the alleged arms distribution.
Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bolanle Olukoju, in a statement released on Sunday, said, “The Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandits in any part of Ifelodun. No security agency ever reported such arrests in Kwara.”
She dismissed insinuations that the state armed the suspects, saying, “No state government has the power to issue or distribute AK-47 rifles.”
The government described the reports as misinformation and urged the public to rely on verified sources for updates on security-related developments.