Crime suspect in police handcuff
Kwara State’s security dragnet has tightened with the arrest of a suspected gun technician believed to be a crucial link in the firepower of bandit groups operating across the state.
The suspect, said to be from Makurdi, was picked up by operatives after allegedly admitting to repairing and supplying weapons to criminal gangs scattered across remote locations.
The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, revealed this on Friday while briefing journalists shortly after the state’s Security Council meeting at the Government House in Ilorin.
Ojo also confirmed the arrest of several others accused of funnelling food, fuel, drugs and other essentials to bandits hiding deep in forested areas. According to him, the council is increasingly alarmed by what it called the “harmful effects” of careless social-media posts on ongoing operations against insurgents.
> “The influence of social media on sensitive security reports is becoming damaging,” Ojo warned, stressing that certain online disclosures were undermining efforts against violent non-state actors.
The Police Commissioner commended the military, the Police, and the DSS for their recent surge in deployments across Kwara—measures he said were in line with directives from President Bola Tinubu. He also praised Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun for drafting four tactical squads—SWAT, IRT, SIS and STS—to confront the state’s emerging threats.
Reviewing progress since the bandit attack in Eruku, Ojo disclosed that intelligence units were still tracking the attackers while working toward rescuing abducted victims. He added that heightened air interdictions had already pushed several kidnapping groups out of their hideouts, particularly in the Ifelodun axis.
The council, he said, pushed for sustained aerial bombardment of identified criminal enclaves to keep pressure on the gangs.
Ojo noted that recent joint operations by the Police and DSS also led to the arrest of individuals supplying fuel and food to bandits, alongside the Makurdi suspect who allegedly confessed to fixing firearms.
With the Yuletide season approaching, the council approved expanded joint patrols and reinforced security measures in communities deemed vulnerable to attacks.
Once again, Ojo cautioned residents about the dangers of spreading sensitive information online, especially ransom-related details, saying such posts “put citizens at greater risk.”
The council advised the public to stay alert, avoid night farming and limit late-night movements as security agencies intensify operations across the state.
