The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that a viral video from Katsina State showed a police officer interacting with armed bandits, describing the narrative as false, malicious, and misleading.
In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, the Police clarified that the individuals seen in the video were not bandits but duly recognized members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters supporting security operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
According to the statement, the video captured a routine interaction between a police officer and the community security volunteers as they proceeded to a designated operational area to assist security agencies in combating criminal activities and enhancing public safety.
“The individuals featured in the video are not bandits. They are duly recognized 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,” the statement said.
The Force condemned what it described as the deliberate distortion of facts, warning that the spread of false information could create unnecessary public anxiety, erode confidence in security institutions, and undermine ongoing security operations.
The Police urged members of the public to disregard the misleading claims attached to the video and rely only on information released through official channels of the Nigeria Police Force and other authorized government sources.
“The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the deliberate distortion of facts and the circulation of misinformation capable of causing public anxiety, undermining confidence in security institutions, and frustrating ongoing security operations,” the statement added.
The Force also warned individuals and groups involved in creating or circulating false information capable of threatening public peace and security to desist, noting that appropriate legal action may be taken against offenders.
Reaffirming its commitment to national security, the Nigeria Police Force said it would continue to collaborate with legitimate community-based security stakeholders and other relevant partners to protect lives, safeguard communities, and combat crime across the country.
