Security agencies have dismissed as false and misleading a viral social media video alleging that police officers provided clearance for armed bandits to pass through parts of Katsina State, describing the claim as a deliberate distortion of ongoing community-based security operations.

The video, which has generated widespread reactions online, purportedly showed a police officer interacting with a group of armed men riding motorcycles, prompting allegations that security personnel were collaborating with bandits.

However, senior security sources and the Nigeria Police Force have clarified that the individuals featured in the footage were not bandits but members of recognised community security outfits supporting counter-banditry operations in the state.

A senior Defence Intelligence source, who spoke to PRNigeria on condition of anonymity, explained that the motorcycle riders were members of hybrid security forces operating in collaboration with security agencies and supported by the state government.

According to the source, the group forms part of local volunteer security structures established to complement military and police operations in vulnerable 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 said.

The intelligence official noted that the volunteers were carrying only legally authorised firearms commonly permitted for licensed hunters and recognised vigilante groups.

He further pointed out that, unlike armed bandits who frequently disguise themselves in military or police camouflage to evade detection, none of the individuals captured in the video wore security uniforms or insignia associated with criminal groups operating in the North-West.

"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.

The clarification by intelligence officials was corroborated by the Nigeria Police Force, which issued an official statement dismissing the allegations as entirely false.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, said investigations revealed that the individuals featured in the footage were duly recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters actively supporting security operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

According to the police spokesman, the footage merely captured a routine interaction between a police officer and the security volunteers as they moved towards designated operational areas.

"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 Force condemned what it described as the deliberate manipulation of facts and the circulation of misinformation capable of undermining public confidence in security institutions and ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

Security experts note that community-based security partnerships have increasingly become part of Nigeria's counter-banditry strategy, particularly in North-West states where local hunters, vigilante groups and other volunteer forces provide intelligence and operational support to conventional security agencies.

Authorities warned against sharing unverified security-related content, stressing that false narratives could create unnecessary panic, erode trust in security institutions and potentially jeopardise ongoing operations against criminal networks.

The police also cautioned individuals and groups involved in creating or disseminating false information capable of threatening public peace and national security, warning that offenders could face legal consequences.

The development comes amid intensified security operations across Katsina and neighbouring states, where security agencies have increasingly relied on intelligence-led collaboration with local security volunteers to combat banditry, kidnapping and rural terrorism. (By PRNigeria)

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