17 Bandits Neutralised, Seven Arrested as Joint Security Offensives Free 7 Kidnap Victims in Kwara ‎

17 Bandits Neutralised, Seven Arrested as Joint Security Offensives Free 7 Kidnap Victims in Kwara ‎

By Abiola Adigun Albarka 89.9 FM | October 11 2025

Combined security forces operating across Kwara State in October have neutralised at least 17 suspected bandits, arrested seven others and freed seven abducted victims, state authorities said on Sunday, as a sustained offensive intensifies in both Kwara North and South. The seizures included “different classes of weapons,” a Spokesman for the government said.
According to state and security sources, the operations are a coordinated push involving the Nigerian Army, police, Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilante groups. Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA under the 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin, were reported to have rescued kidnapped victims after gun battles at locations including Efagi (Lafiagi) and the Ayekale axis — engagements that security officials say contributed to the arrests and neutralisations.
“Nowhere will be safe for criminals and kidnappers in Kwara,” Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq told reporters after a security meeting, pledging to “spare no resources” to fund operations that strengthen safety and restore peace across the state. The governor has ordered integration of state and federal assets into a single security strategy for both northern and southern senatorial districts.
Kwara has seen a spike in kidnappings and violent raids in recent weeks, with several local government areas reporting incidents that prompted temporary closures of markets and relocation of some public activities to higher-security locations. Security analysts and community leaders say the attackers often operate from forested border areas and exploit poor road networks and limited local intelligence to strike farms, villages and highways.
The recent clampdown follows high-profile incidents — including the deadly Oke-Ode attack in late September that prompted the governor to demand additional federal troops — and growing pressure on state authorities to produce rapid results. In response, Governor AbdulRazaq has presided over security council meetings and directed a more aggressive posture combining military raids, police patrols and vigilante patrols.
A senior military source involved in the operations told journalists that the offensives are intelligence-led and aimed at disrupting bandit logistics and hideouts; troops would “pursue and neutralise” identified cells while handing suspects to security agencies for prosecution. Local vigilante leaders, credited with crucial intelligence and frontline action in several rescues, said their cooperation with the military had improved the speed of response and increased the number of victims recovered.
A Kwara lawmaker welcomed the show of force but urged sustained investment in community policing and socioeconomic measures to deny criminals local support. “This fight requires collective responsibility — traditional rulers, community leaders and residents must cooperate with security operatives,” the lawmaker said.
Security experts warn that while arrests and neutralisations are important, long-term stability will depend on strengthening intelligence networks, improving rural infrastructure (especially roads), expanding community policing efforts and implementing development programs to reduce the conditions that allow kidnappers to recruit and hide.