Security forces in Kwara State have arrested high-ranking leaders of the state chapter of Miyetti Allah, including their President, Idris Abubakar, for their alleged involvement in the sponsorship of armed banditry and kidnapping.
The arrests follow a series of intelligence-led investigations into the surge of criminal activities across the state. Sources close to the investigation revealed that the Miyetti Allah leader reportedly admitted to aiding several kidnapping operations carried out by Fulani bandit groups.
The news has sent shockwaves through the state, particularly given the age and social standing of the suspects. A senior security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed dismay at the findings: “These are men over 60 years old individuals who should be voices of peace and mediators in our communities. Instead, they are accused of fueling the very terror and violence they publicly claim to oppose.”
The source emphasized that the arrests target specific individuals and are not an indictment of any particular ethnic group or the wider cattle-breeding community. “This case exposes a deep moral failure by specific leaders and demands full accountability under the law,” the official added.
The Kwara State Police Command is expected to formally parade the suspects and provide further details on the specific kidnapping cases linked to the group. Meanwhile, security agencies have called for calm, reiterating their commitment to rooting out criminal elements regardless of their social or institutional affiliations.
