Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has dismissed calls by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state, following allegations linking state officials to banditry.
The PDP made the demand during a press conference in Ilorin on Tuesday, referencing 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,” warning that if unaddressed, they could undermine public trust and escalate insecurity in Kwara.
In response, Governor AbdulRazaq’s Senior Special Assistant on Communications, Ibraheem Abdullateef, rejected the allegations as politically motivated and “baseless.”
“This is nothing but cheap politics ahead of the 2027 elections,” Abdullateef stated. “The PDP is resorting to fake news to create fear and discredit the government.”
He called on federal authorities to investigate the matter, expressing confidence that no state official was involved in illegal arms supply or banditry.
Kwara State has, in recent years, faced sporadic security challenges, though not at the level seen in neighbouring North-Central and North-West states. The state government maintains that its security policies remain effective and that it continues to cooperate with federal security agencies.
