Security forces in Kwara State have detained three senior members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) over allegations that they aided and facilitated kidnapping operations linked to armed bandit groups across the state.
According to security reports, the suspects, all senior Fulani leaders aged over 60 were apprehended following intelligence linking them to multiple kidnapping syndicates and support for criminal networks terrorising rural communities and travellers in parts of Kwara. Investigators say some of the men confessed to assisting abductors and supporting the logistics of kidnapping operations carried out by bandits in the region.
The arrests come amid intensified military and police operations targeting bandit hideouts across local government areas including Ifelodun, Edu, and Patigi, where coordinated air strikes and ground offensives have reportedly displaced many criminal elements and destroyed several camps.
Officials have so far not publicly responded to requests for additional comment, and suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
Authorities have described the case as a serious breach of trust by individuals who were expected to be community leaders and voices of peace.
