A member of the Miyetti Allah group has been arrested by the Nigerian Police in Kwara State after he was allegedly found in possession of a rifle while attempting to flee the state, Starnews NG has learnt.
According to a source familiar with the incident, the suspect—whose identity has not yet been officially disclosed—was apprehended during a routine police patrol while riding a motorcycle and attempting to exit Kwara State. He was reportedly stopped, searched and immediately arrested after a rifle was allegedly discovered in his possession.
Preliminary investigations, the source said, revealed that the suspect is a member of Miyetti Allah and was allegedly engaged by the Kwara State Government as part of a vigilante arrangement. He was subsequently transferred to the Kwara State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where he is currently being detained at the State CID headquarters in Ilorin.
The source further disclosed that the suspect was wearing a black vest bearing the logo of Miyetti Allah and its vigilante group at the time of his arrest. The vest was allegedly issued to him through a government-linked arrangement.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly claimed that the rifle found in his possession was officially issued to members of the group. He allegedly told investigators that the firearm was supplied by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in collaboration with the Kwara State Government.
It was gathered that the suspect was allegedly attempting to abscond with the weapon when he was intercepted by security operatives.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kwara State Government nor the Nigerian Police had issued an official statement confirming or denying the suspect’s alleged employment, the issuance of the vest or the source of the firearm.
The arrest comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding alleged plans to deploy armed Fulani herders, popularly known as Bororos, to combat banditry in parts of Kwara State. The proposal, reportedly linked to the Office of the National Security Adviser, has faced strong opposition from residents, community leaders and some Fulani stakeholders, who warned that arming migrant herders could worsen insecurity.
Previously, Newsmen reported that a high-level security meeting was held in Ilorin involving federal security agencies, Miyetti Allah representatives and local Fulani leaders to address rising cases of kidnappings, killings and cattle rustling across Kwara communities.
While Miyetti Allah leaders have consistently denied claims that their members are being armed or deployed for combat operations, insisting they work with security agencies in a non-violent capacity, the latest arrest is likely to reignite public debate over vigilante arrangements, the arming of non-state actors and the broader security strategy in the state.
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