Police: Viral video on arrest of suspected bandits in Kaduna a case of mistaken identity

The Kaduna police command says the purported arrest of some bandits in Chikun LGA of the state as captured in a viral video was a “case of mistaken identity”.

Over the weekend, a now-viral video appeared on social media platforms wherein military personnel were seen moving some men into a pickup van.

The claims which trailed the viral video were that the arrested persons were suspected bandits captured by military personnel in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

In another viral video, the arrested men were seen transported to a hospital in Kaduna.

At a peace meeting on Monday, Yekini Ayoku, the Kaduna police commissioner, said those arrested in the viral video are not bandits.

“When we saw the video, we swung into action and called for an emergency meeting between the Gbagyi and Fulani communities of Kakura,” he said.

“From our investigations, we discovered what happened was that bandits attacked the Kakura community and killed the younger brother of the village leader, Isiaku Karfe.

“The same bandits attacked a nearby Fulani settlement and within the same area, rustled their cattle.

“So, the vigilante of the Kakura community where the village head’s brother was killed, went in search of the bandits that attacked them, while the Fulani also went in search of their rustled cattle.

“While in the forest, the two sides clashed. In the process, three of the Fulani were killed and a number of others were injured.

“The information got to the military detachment in the area and they went for rescue and they took the dead and the injured to the hospital.

“Presently, the injured are now being treated at 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.

“So, these people taken to the hospital are not bandits, but rather, from the narrations of both sides, it was discovered that it was a case of mistaken identity.

“So, what we have done here is to bring the two communities together, then the local government chairman, house assembly member, the district head and head of the Fulani community have been asked to go back and ensure peace among the communities.”

The peace meeting was attended by Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna commissioner for internal security and home affairs; Salasi Musa, chairman of Chikun LGA; D.O. Igwilo, commanding officer of 312 artillery regiment, among other stakeholders from the Gbagyi and Fulani groups.

In recent months, Kaduna has witnessed a spate of violent attacks which has led to killings and abduction of residents.

On March 28, a Kaduna-bound train was attacked by gunmen, which led to the death of eight people and 22 persons missing as stated in the update given by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on April 3.

Some of the abducted people are currently in the custody of the gunmen.

Days after the train attack, 11 soldiers were killed in an attack by gunmen on a military base in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna state.