Abdulrazaq Rejects PDP Call for State of Emergency in Kwara

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq, has rejected calls by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, urging 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, referencing a viral video of suspected bandits arrested in Auchi, Edo State. In the footage, the suspects allegedly claimed that officials of the Kwara State Government supplied them with AK-47 rifles and a government-branded patrol vehicle.

Speaking at the briefing, PDP State Secretary, Abdulrahman Kayode, described the allegations as “grave and disturbing,” warning that failure to address them could erode public trust and worsen insecurity in the state. He called on the Federal Government to intervene and conduct a thorough investigation.

Kayode linked the video to recent violent attacks in several local government areas, including Ifelodun, Patigi, Edu, Ekiti, Isin and Irepodun. He recalled a September 28 attack on Oke-Ode community, where over 15 people were reportedly killed, alleging that a government agent had visited the area a day earlier to disarm local hunters and vigilantes.

He also raised questions about the identity of “Oga Victor,” a name mentioned in the Edo video, and demanded explanations from Governor Abdulrazaq over the alleged release of government weapons and patrol vehicles to non-state actors. Kayode further urged federal security agencies to launch an independent probe and conduct a full audit of state patrol vehicles.

However, the state government dismissed the allegations. Governor Abdulrazaq’s Senior Special Assistant on Communications, Ibraheem Abdullateef, described the PDP’s claims as politically motivated ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Abdullateef labelled the call for a state of emergency as “baseless,” accusing the opposition party of spreading misinformation to incite fear and unrest in the state.

He noted that the Kwara State Government had earlier denied similar claims circulating on social media.

The Commissioner for Communications, Mrs. Bolanle Olukoju, had stated that no security agency, including the Nigerian Army, arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun or any part of Kwara State, adding that the state government lacks the authority to issue AK-47 rifles.