Police deny viral motorcycle video shows bandits, say riders are vigilantes, hunters

The clarification followed intense reactions online after the video prompted speculation that the riders were armed bandits operating freely in the state.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed widespread claims that a viral video circulating on social media shows a police officer interacting with armed bandits in Katsina State, explaining that the men in the footage are registered vigilantes and hunters working alongside security agencies.

The clarification followed intense reactions online after the video, which shows a long convoy of motorcycle riders passing stationary vehicles while a police officer appears to wave at them, prompted speculation that the riders were armed bandits operating freely in the state.

Background voices captured in the footage further fuelled the controversy. One person, likely a passenger recording the video from a commercial vehicle, referred to the riders as “barayin daji”, a Hausa term commonly used to describe local terrorists known as bandits, while another [passenger] cautioned him, questioning why he was making such a remark.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by police spokesperson Anietie Iniedu, the police said the individuals in the motorcycle convoy were “duly recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters” supporting ongoing security operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

A review of the video

An independent review of the footage shows dozens of motorcycles travelling in a convoy along a rural road. A man wearing police camouflaged uniform is seen standing beside another security operative dressed in a black top and red cap as the convoy passes.

The video does not clearly establish the identity of the riders. While some appear to be carrying long objects believed to be firearms, the footage is not clear enough to determine with certainty their specific type. Although some critics claimed the riders were armed with AK-47 rifles, the video alone does not provide sufficient visual evidence to verify that assertion.

Notably, there is no visible confrontation between the convoy and the security personnel, contrary to what would ordinarily be expected if the riders were bandits. The convoy passes the officers without any exchange of gunfire or apparent attempt to evade them.

Similarly, the vehicles parked by the roadside, with passengers inside, are left untouched. While this does not conclusively establish the identity of the riders, it is noteworthy because bandit groups are widely known to seize such opportunities to abduct motorists and passengers.

However, PREMIUM TIMES understands that peace agreements have, at various times, been brokered with bandit groups in some parts of Katsina State. If the individuals seen in the video were indeed bandits, such arrangements could offer one possible explanation for the apparent absence of hostility between them and the security personnel.

But if the footage was indeed recorded in the Musawa and Matazu areas identified by the police, that speculation is less certain, given the ongoing military offensives in those areas following the killing of retired general Abubakar Rabe, suggesting that any previous peace arrangement may have collapsed.

Police response

According to Mr Iniedu, the police spokesperson, the footage 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.”

He described claims that the video showed police fraternising with bandits as “entirely false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public.”

“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.

The police spokesperson urged members of the public to rely only on information released through official channels and warned that individuals involved in creating or disseminating false information capable of threatening public peace and security could face legal consequences.

He also reaffirmed the police’s commitment to working with legitimate community-based security stakeholders, including registered vigilante groups and hunters, in efforts to combat crime and protect communities.