The Kwara State Government has confirmed that the armed men recently intercepted by Nigerian soldiers and initially suspected to be bandits are members of Miyetti Allah participating in a federal security operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The clarification followed widespread public anxiety after a viral video showed soldiers interrogating armed men carrying **AK-47 rifles* * and operating a patrol vehicle bearing the inscription of * *Ifelodun Local Government Area**.
The suspects had claimed they were sponsored by the “Ilorin government,” a statement that triggered outrage and renewed fears of insecurity in the state.
Speaking in a radio program, the Senior Special Assistant on Communication to the Kwara State Governor, said the men were part of a **joint security arrangement** initiated after deadly attacks in Ifelodun Local Government Area on September 29.
According to Abdulateef, the operation was coordinated by ONSA and involved recognised security agencies working alongside **local vigilantes and Miyetti Allah members**.
“Under the security framework, recognised security officers worked with a Joint Task Force arrangement that included Miyetti Allah members and vigilantes,” he said.
He explained that the patrol vehicle seen in the video was provided by the **Ifelodun Local Government chairman** to support security operations in the area.Abdulateef added that after completing their assignment, the men allegedly **absconded with the patrol van**, prompting a report to security agencies.
“They were later intercepted and arrested in **Auchi, Edo State**, not in Kwara,” he said, adding that the state government has formally requested the return of the vehicle.
He further clarified that the arrested individuals were **indigenes of Ifelodun Local Government**, not Yoruba, and were not apprehended within Kwara State.Separately, the **Chief Press Secretary to the Governor**, **Rafiu Ajakaye**, addressed claims made in the video regarding individuals allegedly supplying weapons from Abuja.
Ajakaye clarified that one of the individuals mentioned, identified as **Victor**, is **not an officer of the DSS or the Nigerian Air Force**, but a **police sergeant attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser**.
He said Victor and other vigilante operatives have since **left Kwara State**, following concerns raised by local communities—a decision the government said it respected.
The CPS cautioned against sensational reporting of sensitive security matters, describing the situation as a “delicate balance between transparency and national security.”
“We are in a period of national security emergency. Losing lives and peace is deeply painful, and these issues require careful handling,” Ajakaye said in a statement.He urged political leaders and stakeholders to act with restraint and patriotism to avoid inflaming tensions.
“This is a time for calm leadership, not reckless accusations,” he added.Earlier reports had suggested that the federal government planned to deploy armed Fulani herders, often referred to as **Bororos**, to combat banditry in Kwara—a claim that sparked strong opposition from residents and some Fulani leaders.
While the **Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN)** has denied that its members were armed to fight banditry, confirming instead that it collaborates with security agencies in a non-combat role, the Kwara State Government maintains that the arrested individuals were part of a **federal-coordinated security response**.
Authorities say investigations into the incident are ongoing.
