Zamfara Police Arrest 22-Year-Old Over Viral Video Allegedly Calling for Attacks on Christians

The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old man following the circulation of a viral video allegedly showing him chanting slogans calling for attacks on Christians.

The police said the video showed the suspect wearing a uniform associated with Jama’atu Izalatil Bidi’a Wa’ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), alongside students from Islamic schools in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

According to the command, the JIBWIS organisation initially detained the young man before handing him over to the police for investigation. The police said investigations were ongoing and that the suspect would be charged to court.

The state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Bello, said the command remained committed to protecting lives and property regardless of religious differences.

The video, which reportedly circulated on social media from Monday, showed young people in matching uniforms participating in what appeared to be marching drills. One of the chants allegedly called for an AK-47 rifle and threatened an attack in Enugu on a Sunday while people were celebrating. Amnesty International also referenced Enugu and Jos in its account of the footage.

The incident sparked reactions online, with some Nigerians calling for an investigation into the people featured in the video. Others expressed concern about the alleged statements and their potential to promote religious hostility.

JIBWIS condemned the remarks and distanced itself from the video. In a statement released on Monday, October 26, 2026, the organisation’s national leader, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, called on the Department of State Services, the police and other security agencies to investigate the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable faced the law.

The statement, issued through the organisation’s publicity officer, Ibrahim Shehu Giwa, said wearing a JIBWIS volunteer uniform or appearing alongside its members did not automatically mean that an individual was speaking or acting with the organisation’s authorisation. Sheikh Bala Lau also urged investigators to establish the circumstances surrounding the recording, identify those involved and determine their intentions.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International called for an immediate and independent investigation into the video, expressing concern over the apparent participation of children and teenagers in marching drills under adult coordinators. The human rights organisation warned that slogans promoting attacks against people described as infidels could expose young people to messages of hatred and violence.

Amnesty International urged authorities to investigate the organisers and establish the source, location and content of the footage. It also called for scrutiny of the slogans and lessons used during youth activities to determine whether they encourage hostility or violence.