'Kwara Govt Knew Bandits Lived in Forests, Did Nothing,' Council Chairman Speaks Out
- Ifelodun Council Chairperson in Kwara State says bandits have been living in local forests for over 15 years
- Femi Yusuf alleges that residents collaborate with bandits, raising strong concerns about community ties
- In November 2025, bandits attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in central Kwara State during a service, killing two and abducting 38, in an incident that drew international attention
Legit.ng correspondent Atanda Omobolaji has over 4 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria.
Ilorin, Kwara State - The chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara State, Femi Yusuf, has alleged that bandits have been living inside forests in the area for more than 15 years, insinuating that successive governments were aware of their presence but failed to take decisive action.
Yusuf made the disclosure during a Yoruba programme, 'Ebewa Dasi', aired recently on Diamond FM and monitored by Legit.ng.
Source: Original
'Kwara bandits have long been in existence'
According to the council chairman, the terrorists did not infiltrate the forests recently, as widely believed, but had long established themselves there with organised systems.
He said:
“Those bandits do not just arrive in our forests; they have been living inside the forest for more than 15 years. They have already established a system inside our forest and have been living there."
He explained that the forest spans a vast area, noting that it takes hours to navigate.
Yusuf explained:
“Inside this forest, you can travel inside there by motorcycle for three hours. If you want to confirm how big this forest is, you can also come and see for yourself. I have been inside the forest before I became a council chairman, so I know what I am saying."
Kwara bandits’ alleged longstanding local ties
The Ifelodun council boss added that various economic activities had been ongoing in the forest for years, further showing that the area was not unknown to authorities.
He said:
“Inside this forest, we have people farming inside, we have people cutting trees. I am a true son of Ifelodun local government. I know everywhere in the local government area, so if I talk, I know what I am saying."
Yusuf said that despite the long-standing presence of the bandits, they were not initially hostile to the local Yoruba population.
He said:
“Why we did not chase them despite knowing that they have been inside this forest for long is not even the question to answer now. What I want you to know is that for over 15 years, they have been inside this forest; these bandits did not use to attack Yoruba before."
According to him, their earlier criminal activities were largely directed at herders.
Yusuf said:
“The truth is that they have been doing their criminalities for long, but their targeted victims were usually herders. They don’t use to attack Yoruba people. They used to rustle cattle only then."
The council chairman also claimed that some locals were collaborating with the criminals.
He alleged:
“These criminalities have been going on for long. We know them, and we know some people working and defending these Fulani. We grew up with some of them."
Source: Facebook
Recounting an incident shortly after he assumed office, Yusuf said a killing in his town exposed alleged links between residents and bandits.
He said:
“If you remember, one week after my election, a man from my town, called Jagun, was killed; it was his death that let me know he was working with these bandits."
Yusuf concluded that the security challenges confronting the area were not new, blaming past administrations for failing to act.
He added:
“These issues have been recurring for a very long time, and the government from the past administrations refused to do anything about it."
Legit.ng contacted Ibraheem Abdullateef, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Communications, for comment on the allegation, but received no response after more than 24 hours.
Read more Kwara State news:
- Family shares painful details after women protesting kidnappings are allegedly beaten at Kwara govt house
- Offa: Family source shares more details as suspected airstrike hits Kwara hotel, "couple injured"
Kwara 2027: Christian governorship possible
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that former Kwara PDP Chairman Iyiola Oyedepo said a Christian candidate can win the 2027 governorship election in the state, dismissing claims religion should bar anyone from contesting.
Oyedepo, speaking in Ilorin, explained that nothing in law stops a Christian from leading Kwara and warned against sectarian politics that could fan religious tensions ahead of the polls.
He urged Kwarans to prioritise competence and fairness over religious identity when choosing Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq’s successor, saying dividing politics along faith lines would harm unity and peace.
Source: Legit.ng
Ridwan Adeola Yusuf (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.
Atanda Omobolaji (Kwara State Correspondent) Atanda Omobolaji is an experienced journalist with more than six years of dedicated service in metro reporting. His investigative skills and commitment to ethical journalism have allowed him to shed light on critical issues affecting communities.
