The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed as false and misleading claims circulating on social media alleging that a police officer was seen interacting with armed bandits in Katsina State.
In a statement issued on June 24, 2026, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, said the individuals featured in the viral video were not bandits but recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters supporting ongoing security operations in the state.
According to Iniedu, the video captured a routine interaction between a police officer and the security volunteers as they proceeded to a designated operational area in support of efforts to combat criminality and enhance public safety in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
“The individuals featured in the video are not bandits. They are duly recognised 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,” Iniedu stated.
He stressed that any claim suggesting the officer was fraternising with bandits was “entirely false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public.”
The police spokesperson condemned what he described as the deliberate distortion of facts and the spread of misinformation capable of creating public anxiety, undermining confidence in security institutions, and frustrating ongoing security operations.
“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,” he said.
Iniedu urged members of the public to disregard the misleading claims attached to the video and rely solely on information disseminated through official channels of the Nigeria Police Force and other authorised government sources.
He also warned individuals and groups involved in creating, publishing, or disseminating false information capable of prejudicing public peace and security to desist immediately, noting that appropriate legal action could be taken against violators.
Reaffirming the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to national security, Iniedu said the Force would continue to work with legitimate community-based security stakeholders and other relevant partners in the collective effort to protect lives, safeguard communities, and combat crime across the country.
