The Nigeria Police Force has denied claims that a viral video shows a police officer interacting cordially with armed bandits in the northern Katsina State.
Police said the men seen in the footage were registered vigilantes and hunters working with security agencies.
The video, which circulated widely on social media, shows a convoy of motorcycle riders passing stationary vehicles on a rural road while a police officer appears to wave at them.
The footage sparked claims that armed bandits were moving freely in the state. Background voices in the clip added to the controversy, with one person referring to the riders as “barayin daji”, a Hausa term commonly used to describe local terrorists known as bandits.
In a statement on Wednesday, police spokesperson Anietie Iniedu said the riders were “duly recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and registered hunters” supporting security operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
A review of the footage shows dozens of motorcycles travelling in convoy. A man in police camouflage is seen standing beside another security operative wearing a black top and red cap as the riders pass.
The video does not clearly establish the identity of the riders. Some appear to be carrying firearms and rifles, but the footage is not clear enough to confirm the specific type of weapons.
There is also no visible confrontation between the riders and security personnel. The convoy passes without gunfire or any apparent attempt to flee.
Vehicles parked by the roadside, with passengers inside, are also left untouched. This has been noted because bandit groups in northern Nigeria are known to abduct motorists and passengers from rural roads.
Iniedu said the footage showed “a routine interaction” between a police officer and security volunteers travelling to a designated operational area.
He described claims that the video showed police fraternising with bandits as “entirely false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public.”
He urged the public to rely on official information and warned that those involved in spreading false information capable of threatening public peace and security could face legal consequences.
He added that police remained committed to working with legitimate community-based security groups, including registered vigilantes and hunters, to combat crime and protect communities.
Online reaction remains divided between those who accept the police clarification and those who believe the force is trying to dismiss what they say can be clearly seen in the video, amid longstanding public distrust of Nigerian police over corruption, bribery and allegations of security personnel engaging with criminal groups.