Fact-check: Were Soldiers Facilitating Free Passages of Motorcycle Riding Bandits?

Fact-check: Were Soldiers Facilitating Free Passages of Motorcycle Riding Bandits?

A viral video circulating on the social media space, especially on WhatsApp and X, formally Twitter, Claims that  soldiers at checkpoints have been aiding the smooth and seamless passages of bandits across various community borders in Katsina State.

The 40 seconds video has the following text accompanying it, “All these bandits wan enter town.. a soldier is making a call to all other soldiers at the roadblocks to allow all the bandits to move freely without obstruction…

Na wa ooo”.

The video was also posted by an. X user, Chibuzor Nwosu, with the following following text:  “Photos Of Fulani terrorists Carrying AK47 In Katsina In The Presence Of the @HQNigerianArmy 

“This same ????????army has abducted & massacred countless youths in Biafra land, labeling them #ESN And you want us to continue leaving with these kind of people?” He quizzed rhetorically.

To verify the veracity of the viral video, PRNigeria fact-check desk critically reviews the video for proper examination. 

In the video,  the voice of someone could be heard making phone calls in Hausa language, notifying  the supposed recipient(s) that Fulanis were about to pass, that they are  harmless, have no business with anyone,  and that they should be allowed to pass in peace. 

PRNigeria fact-check team further used Google  Reverse Image Search and findings show that the video footage has been in existence since 2023.

Furthermore, a publication by PRNigeria on September 19, 2023, accompanied with the video indicated that Bandits held ‘peace meeting ‘ with residents of a Katsina community, called Faskama, in Faskari local government area.

The headline of the report reads: “Bandits Hold ‘Peace Meeting’ in Katsina Community”. 

Quoting a local source in Fadkari, PRNigeria established that the meeting, was convened to broker a truce between the terrorists and Fankama residents.

Investigating further,  PRNigeria fact-check  discovered that the Defence HQ reacted to the viral video  of soldiers purportedly allowing bandits to pass  through designated routes unmolested.

Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, in a statement said that the military high command is investigating the video to confirm its authenticity as regards the soldiers seen in uniform.

Brig. Gen. Gusau, however, said the DHQ is aware of the resolve of some bandits to repent and hand over their weapons to the authorities.

“This is yielding good results and is ongoing”, he said .

“The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa assures Nigerians that the AFN will engage in every lawful means possible to ensure peace and stability reign in our dear nation.”

“The DHQ assures Nigerians that its non-kinetic measures aimed at restoration of peace are yielding results, with several bandits and other criminal elements surrendering to authority”, he added.

Conclusion: 

Contrary to the claim that bandits are being allowed to move freely without hindrance, further investigation reveals that the video in question was recorded in 2023, subsequent to a peace agreement between armed individuals and certain communities in Katsina State. As such, PRNigeria has found the claim that soldiers are facilitating the unimpeded movement of bandits at checkpoints to be misleading.