The Nigeria Police Force’s New Media Officer has reacted to a viral video showing a police officer interacting with a group of armed men along a highway in Katsina State.
The video, shared online by former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, on Wednesday, June 24, showed several armed men riding motorcycles. A police officer stationed along the highway was seen waving at them as they passed.
Like many Nigerians who watched the clip, Dalung expressed concern, believing the men were bandits.
However, in a statement posted on social media, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, through the Police’s New Media Office managed by Prince Olumuyiwa Giwa, clarified that the armed men were not bandits but members of a vigilante group and registered hunters working with security agencies in the fight against banditry and insurgency.
The statement reads:
“Please refrain from labeling them as bandits. They are actively engaged in combating banditry.
A video circulating online falsely claims that a police officer was seen interacting with armed bandits in Katsina State. This allegation is entirely false.
The individuals in the video are not criminals. They are members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and registered hunters partnering with the Police in ongoing operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas to combat crime and protect their communities.
The video shows a routine interaction between a police officer and community security volunteers as they proceeded to a designated operational area.
Misrepresenting this interaction misleads the public, endangers genuine community security partners, and undermines ongoing efforts to protect these communities.
The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns this distortion. Spreading false security narratives that cause public anxiety and erode trust is not harmless; it carries legal consequences.
To all Nigerians who viewed the video: the individuals shown are partners in your safety. They are vigilantes and hunters working with the Police, not against the law.
Please verify information before sharing. Misinformation has serious consequences.”
