Operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) have arrested a medical doctor for allegedly transporting medical supplies from Sokoto State to suspected kidnapping gangs operating in Kwara State.
The Kwara State Government confirmed the arrest in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Friday, December 5.
The suspect was reportedly intercepted in Jebba, Moro Local Government Area, following intelligence linking him to a syndicate responsible for delivering medical items to armed groups across the region.
The statement read, “The Department of State Service has taken into custody a medical doctor who was ferrying drugs from Sokoto to kidnappers in parts of Kwara State.
“The doctor was intercepted in the Jebba area following intelligence reports about the activities of the kidnappers and their couriers. The secret service says the criminal gangs appear desperate for medical care following gunshot wounds sustained in encounters with security forces.”
Meanwhile, security sources confirmed that the arrest formed part of an intensified operation aimed at disrupting the logistics networks sustaining kidnapping cells in the North-Central zone.
One of the sources said kidnapping gangs had recently increased efforts to secure medical treatment – particularly for gunshot wounds sustained during clashes with security operatives – forcing security agencies to heighten surveillance around the movement of medical supplies.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians who reacted to the arrest questioned why the Kwara state government is not naming the culprit in the official statement posted on its website.
“He doesn’t have a name?” asked a Facebook user, Boluwatife Oladipo.
Another social media user, Akomolafe Adetola, asked a similar question, saying, “So the doctor has no name?”
Michael Friday, another social media user, said the Kwara state government would have arrested the armed bandit gang before making the information public.
“Why publish such sensitive information…Wait until you arrest those gangs before publishing such news…Why are our security services bent on always scoring cheap praises instead of perfection?” Friday asked?
Kwara, it would be noted, has long been categorised as a peaceful state in the North-Central region, but has witnessed a rise in insecurity in recent months, with incidents recorded in Kaiama, Baruten, Ekiti and parts of Moro LGAs.
Border communities have been particularly vulnerable due to their closeness to expansive forests serving as hideouts for criminal gangs.
A troubling pattern
The ICIR reported that the attack on the Eruku worshippers in November was part of a troubling pattern in Kwara State. While there have been moments when the violence seemed to be slowing, each time it appeared to be under control, another wave of attacks struck, spreading fear among residents and disrupting daily life.
Between September and October, the police and state government frequently reported neutralising the bandits and overrunning their camps in various parts of the state. These operations, according to officials, were part of ongoing efforts to curb banditry and restore security to communities that have been repeatedly attacked.
Despite these claims, residents said attacks on their communities continued, with many now displaced or in bandits’ captivity.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.