KATSINA, Nigeria — The Nigeria Police Force and security officials have rejected claims circulating online that police officers helped armed bandits move through parts of Katsina State.
According to the authorities, a viral video cited in the allegation showed recognised local security volunteers, not criminal gangs.
The footage, which drew widespread attention on social media, showed a police officer speaking with armed men travelling on motorcycles.
Online posts alleged that the exchange amounted to police clearance for bandits operating in the state.
Security officials said the claim was false.
A senior Defence Intelligence source, who spoke to PRNigeria on condition of anonymity, said the men in the video were members of hybrid security teams working with government-backed security operations in communities affected by banditry and terrorism.
“The individuals seen in the video are not bandits. They are members of approved hybrid security teams working alongside conventional security agencies in the fight against criminal elements,” the source is quoted as saying in an emailed statement to The Trent from PRNigeria on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
The source said the men were part of local volunteer structures created to support military and police operations in vulnerable areas.
The official added that the weapons shown in the video were legally authorised firearms of the type permitted for licensed hunters and recognised vigilante groups.
“The weapons seen are not sophisticated military-grade arms. They are authorised rifles permitted for hunters and registered volunteer groups assisting security agencies,” the source added.
Police Say Men Were Vigilantes and Hunters
The Nigeria Police Force also dismissed the allegations, saying its inquiries showed that the men in the video were members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and registered hunters assisting security operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer, said the video showed a routine exchange between a police officer and the volunteers as they moved towards an assigned operational area.
“The individuals featured in the video are not bandits. They are duly recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and registered hunters supporting ongoing security operations in collaboration with security agencies,” Iniedu stated.
“The video 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. Any claim suggesting otherwise is entirely false, malicious and intended to mislead the public.”
The police condemned what they described as the manipulation of security-related information, saying such claims could weaken public confidence in security institutions and ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
Authorities Warn Against Misinformation
Authorities cautioned members of the public against circulating unverified security content, saying false claims could cause panic, damage trust in security agencies and endanger active operations against criminal groups.
The police also warned that people involved in creating or spreading false information capable of threatening public peace and national security could face legal consequences.
The development comes as security agencies continue operations in Katsina and neighbouring states, where local hunters, vigilante groups and other volunteers have been used to support conventional security forces with intelligence and field operations against banditry, kidnapping and rural terrorism.
