The bandits reportedly ambush military units after receiving intelligence about their impending operations against them.
The Nigerian Army has denied that bandits overran troops and made away with weapons and ammunition in Obanla, Kwara State.
SaharaReporters earlier on Sunday exclusively reported that at least six General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and more than 30,000 rounds of ammunition were seized from a Nigerian Army joint task force by bandits in Obanla, Kwara State, last month.
According to security sources, the heavily armed gang that carried out the attack is the same group now terrorising parts of Kogi State, where dozens of residents have been killed in recent days.
The bandits reportedly ambush military units after receiving intelligence about their impending operations against them.
“Last month, six General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and over 30,000 rounds of ammunition were seized from the Nigerian Army in Obanla, Kwara State,” a senior military officer told SaharaReporters.
“It was seized by bandits from the Nigerian Army's joint task force. They're the ones that have now reached Kogi and are wreaking havoc.”
However, in a statement issued on Sunday by Lieutenant Colonel Polycarp Okoye, Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 2 Division, the military refuted the report, claiming it was “designed to mislead the public and undermine the morale of gallant troops.”
According to the Army, troops of the 148 Battalion (Rear), currently conducting clearance operations across Kogi and Kwara States, have continued to record major operational successes.
“In a recent engagement, the troops mounted a strong blocking position along the Kwara–Ekiti border axis, where they neutralized two armed bandits and recovered two brand-new AK-47 rifles,” the statement said.
The Army stressed that at no point were its positions overrun or any cache of weapons and ammunition lost to criminal elements, as claimed by the online platform.
“Our troops remain fully in control of their operational areas,” the statement added.
The Nigerian Army urged the public to continue supporting ongoing operations by providing credible and timely information.
It also reiterated its resolve to sustain the tempo of military operations until all criminal networks operating in Kogi, Kwara, and neighbouring states are dismantled.
Meanwhile, Kwara State has witnessed a series of deadly bandit attacks in recent weeks.
For instance, on Friday, SaharaReporters reported that bandits struck early in the morning in Bareke, Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of the state.
SaharaReporters learnt that the assailants targeted a residential home around 2 a.m., abducting a woman and her two children.
The woman’s husband narrowly escaped with injuries during the raid, which occurred near the residence of Senator Karimi in Egbe.
The attack followed a similar incident in Ejiba, on Thursday, another community in Yagba West, where a commercial bus was attacked and all passengers were kidnapped.
During that incident, SaharaReporters learnt that a motorcyclist identified by serial number 256 was reportedly killed.
These recent incidents highlight a growing wave of insecurity in Kogi’s Yagba West area, raising concerns among residents about the safety of their lives and property.
In a related incident, SaharaReporters reported on Thursday that bandits stormed Bethel Farm in Ejiba, Yagba West LGA, on the night of Wednesday, October 1, kidnapping three individuals.
Community sources told SaharaReporters that earlier on Wednesday morning, along the route between Ejiba and Odo-Eri, the gang attacked a bread distributor, shooting one of the staff members during the assault.
Photographs obtained by SaharaReporters show a burnt motorcycle believed to belong to vigilante officers who confronted the bandits during the night attack.
On Friday, September 26, 2025, SaharaReporters released a video showing Okunran, a community in Yagba West LGA, completely deserted after residents fled following recent deadly attacks by armed bandits.
The footage showed abandoned homes and empty streets, highlighting the scale of the exodus. Sources said the mass flight was prompted by repeated assaults on the community, forcing locals to seek safety elsewhere.