Viral Katsina Video Shows Security Volunteers, Not Bandits – Police

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed claims that a viral video from Katsina State showed a police officer interacting with bandits, stating that the individuals seen in the footage were security volunteers supporting anti-crime operations in the state.
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‎In a statement issued on Wednesday and seen on the Force X (formerly Twitter) handle, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, said the video, which circulated widely on social media with allegations of collaboration between police personnel and armed criminals, had been deliberately misrepresented.
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‎According to the police, “the individuals featured in the video are not bandits. They are duly recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters who are actively supporting ongoing security operations in collaboration with security agencies in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.”
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‎The Force explained that the footage captured “a routine interaction between a police officer and these security volunteers as they proceeded to a designated operational area in support of efforts to combat criminality and enhance public safety,” stressing that “any claim suggesting otherwise is entirely false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public.”
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‎The police condemned what it described as the distortion of facts surrounding the video, warning that the spread of misinformation could create public anxiety, erode confidence in security institutions and hamper ongoing security operations.
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‎It urged Nigerians to disregard the claims attached to the footage and rely on information released through official police channels and other authorised government sources. The Force also warned that individuals or groups involved in creating or spreading false information capable of threatening public peace and security could face legal action.