ABUJA – The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that a viral video showing a police officer interacting with armed men in Katsina State was evidence of collaboration with bandits, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, clarified that the individuals featured in the video are recognized members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters working alongside security agencies in ongoing operations against criminal elements.
According to the police, the video captured a routine interaction between a police officer and the security volunteers as they were proceeding to a designated operational area in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
“The individuals featured in the video are not bandits. They are duly recognized members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and registered hunters who are actively supporting ongoing security operations in collaboration with security agencies,” the statement said.
The Force stressed that any suggestion that the armed men were bandits was entirely false, malicious and intended to mislead the public.
The police further condemned what it described as the deliberate distortion of facts and the spread of misinformation capable of creating public anxiety, eroding confidence in security institutions and undermining ongoing security efforts.
“The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the circulation of false information capable of causing public anxiety, undermining confidence in security institutions and frustrating ongoing security operations,” the statement added.
The NPF urged members of the public to disregard the claims attached to the video and rely on information disseminated through official police channels and other authorized government sources.
The Force also warned individuals and groups involved in creating, publishing or disseminating false information capable of threatening public peace and security to desist, noting that legal action could be taken against offenders.
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety, the police said it would continue to work closely with legitimate community-based security stakeholders and other partners in the collective effort to combat crime, protect lives and safeguard communities across the country.
