The Katsina State Police Command has denied reports making the rounds on social media of hostage swapping between bandits and villagers in Safana local government area of the State.
The response became necessary after a video with the claim went viral on Tuesday.
In the video posted on X by @DejiAdesogan, a man narrating the story said the incident occurred when armed men stormed the village, abducting several residents and whisking them into the forest the same pattern of attacks recorded in neighbouring states in recent weeks.
The narrator said in the villagers decided to take an unconventional stance.
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He said after the bandits fled with their victims, community members and local vigilante operatives convened and resolved to retaliate directly.
“Believing they knew the families of the attackers, they moved into the bandits’ host communities and abducted their brothers and parents, taking them into the bush as leverage,” he said.
The video narrator said the villagers then sent a message to the bandits: their relatives would only be released if the kidnapped villagers were freed unharmed.
According to the account, the tactic worked as the bandits were said to have released all the abducted villagers first, after which the community members returned the bandits’ relatives.
The narrator described it as an “exchange” that occurred without violence.
He added that the development highlights the desperation and frustration of rural communities who feel abandoned amidst escalating insecurity.
“When you know somebody is your problem, you know the solution,” he said, lamenting repeated ransom payments and prolonged captivity in many affected states.
However, a statement on Thursday by DSP Abubakar Sadiq, the Katsina State command public relations officer, dismissed the account as a tall tale.
According to the statement, “The Katsina State Command is aware of fake news making the rounds on social media alleging that bandit groups and villagers in Safana Local Government Area, Katsina State, specifically in Babban Duhu, Sabon Birni, and Babanli villages, have engaged in the swapping of hostages.
“The reports appear to stem from a claim that bandits kidnapped some villagers from the above‑mentioned villages. The villagers in turn abducted relatives of the bandits, forcing the bandits into a hostage swap. Investigations have confirmed that no such incident occurred in Babban Duhu, Sabon Birni, or Babanli.
“The Command wishes to state, in the strongest terms, that these rumours are baseless, false, and malicious. A thorough investigation, including intelligence verification and coordination with community leaders, has found no evidence of any hostage exchange between bandits and villagers in Babban Duhu, Sabon Birni, or Babanli.
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“The spread of such misinformation is dangerous, as it inflames public fear, erodes trust in institutions, and could endanger lives. The Command remains committed to protecting lives and property, and we appeal to all stakeholders to cooperate with us in maintaining peace and security in the state.
“We urge citizens to remain calm and vigilant and to refrain from sharing unverified information and to report any credible information to the nearest police station or make use of the following emergency numbers:
– 08156977777
– 07072722539
– 09022209690”, DSP Sadiq said.
