By Anas Abbas
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed as false and misleading claims circulating on social media that a police officer was seen interacting with armed bandits in Katsina State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Force said the individuals featured in the viral video were not bandits but members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters assisting security agencies in ongoing operations within Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of the state.
According to the police, the footage captured a routine engagement between a police officer and the community security volunteers as they moved to an operational location to support efforts aimed at tackling crime and improving public safety.
The Nigeria Police Force described reports linking the volunteers to banditry as “entirely false, malicious and misleading,” stressing that the narrative was designed to create confusion among members of the public.
The police further condemned what it called the deliberate distortion of facts and the spread of misinformation capable of generating unnecessary fear, weakening public confidence in security institutions and disrupting ongoing security operations.
The NPF urged citizens to disregard the claims attached to the video and to rely on information released through its official communication channels and other authorised government sources.
It also warned individuals and groups involved in producing or disseminating false information that could threaten public peace and security to desist, noting that legal action may be taken against offenders.
The Force reiterated its commitment to collaborating with legitimate community-based security organisations and other stakeholders in the fight against crime and the protection of lives and property across the country.
