As secret police, army neutralise terrorists at Kwara/Kogi border

The Kwara State Government has dismissed claims that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) disarmed local vigilantes in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, before a deadly bandit attack on Sunday.

Gunmen had invaded the community, killing 12 people, abducting several others, and leaving many injured. A video from the aftermath showed a grieving woman accusing the DSS of stripping the vigilantes of their weapons, thereby leaving residents vulnerable to the assailants.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, described the allegation as “false and demoralising.”

“There is no truth to the claim that the DSS withdrew weapons from forest guards at any time. The leadership of the guards themselves have also refuted this claim,” Ajakaye said.

He added that while the government sympathises with victims and shares in the grief of the bereaved, the claims risk undermining the morale of security agencies working to restore peace.

The statement coincided with a fresh operation in which DSS operatives and troops of the Nigerian Army reportedly killed several terrorists along the Kwara/Kogi border. Among those neutralised was a notorious bandit leader identified as Maiwada, alongside a number of his fighters.

The government urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified reports, stressing that divisive narratives only play into the hands of criminals.

“Politicians may seize on such moments for their own ends, but responsible citizens should not fuel unnecessary chitchat. This crisis will pass, and Kwara will emerge stronger and safer,” the statement read.

It also criticised the use of misleading images by some media outlets in covering the incident, noting that such practices inflame public anxiety.

The government assured that security forces remain on the offensive against bandits and reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of all communities in the state

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