Residents of Patigi and parts of Edu Local Government Area in Kwara State have expressed growing concern over the frequent sighting of helicopters allegedly landing deep inside the expansive Patigi forest.

Locals fear that these aircraft may be delivering arms and other supplies to kidnappers operating within the region.

Mohammed Bana, a local vigilante leader, described the situation as unsettling.

“We don’t know exactly what is going on. Most of the time, we don’t even see them coming. We just hear the sound of helicopters landing inside the forest, sometimes in the middle of the night. This has created serious fear and suspicion among residents,” he said.

A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly from Edu Local Government, who preferred not to be named, also confirmed that the matter has been a recurring concern.

“This is not mere hearsay. The issue has been extensively discussed among community leaders and stakeholders,” he said.

However, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, dismissed the claims, explaining that the helicopters observed by residents were part of official aerial surveillance missions.

“On the allegation of helicopters dropping arms to terrorists in Patigi, the truth is that due to the vastness of the Patigi forest, we have to deploy aerial surveillance to monitor and access certain areas,” the commissioner clarified.

He assured residents that the ongoing operations would soon produce tangible results.
“Some of these helicopters people are seeing are engaged in surveillance. In the next two or three weeks, the impact of these operations will become visible,” he added.