Kwara DSS disarm claim dismissed by government after Oke-Ode attack that killed 12 vigilantes and left several residents abducted

Gunmen suspected to be operating from forests along the Kwara–Kogi border stormed the community in a coordinated raid.

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They engaged local guards in a fierce gun battle before retreating with hostages. Police later confirmed the casualty figure and announced reinforcements had been dispatched to secure the area.

In the aftermath, a viral video showed a grieving widow accusing operatives of the Department of State Services of disarming the vigilantes before the attack. She alleged that this action gave the assailants an upper hand.

On Tuesday, the Kwara State Government dismissed the accusation. “There is no truth to the claim that DSS withdrew weapons from the forest guards at any time.

The leadership of the forest guards has disputed this claim,” said Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The clarification came on the same day DSS operatives and Nigerian Army troops reportedly neutralised several terrorists along the Kwara–Kogi border, including a notorious kingpin known as Maiwada.

While acknowledging the widow’s grief, the government warned that such allegations could demoralise security operatives and inflame tensions.

“We pray to God to console the bereaved woman, and every other one, but her claim is not true. This clarification does not in any way delegitimise her grief,” Ajakaye added.

The governor also criticised some media outlets for using misleading imagery and exaggerated language. “News media have used pictures from thousands of kilometres away to illustrate their stories. Some have said we are in a state of war.

It is their own way of saying it,” he remarked.

Governor AbdulRazaq urged calm, unity and resilience, stressing that the state would overcome the crisis. “We will get out of this stronger and safer. Let us remain united and calm, and refuse to be at daggers drawn with ourselves,” he said.

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The Kwara DSS disarm claim continues to stir debate on social media, but authorities insist that security agencies remain committed to protecting lives and restoring confidence in the border communities.