Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The police have arrested 22-year-old Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun in Zamfara State over a viral video showing a youth chanting calls for weapons to attack Christians in Enugu and Plateau states.
The suspect was arrested after the video circulated on social media, prompting condemnation from religious leaders and calls for security agencies to identify those involved and prosecute anyone found culpable.
The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, disclosed the arrest during a press briefing in Gusau on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, saying investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the police, the video shows the suspect wearing the uniform of the First Aid Group of Jama’atu Izalatil Bidi’a Wa’ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) during a marching exercise, alongside other youths. The recording contains chants calling for rifles to kill Christians and threats directed at communities in Enugu and Plateau states.
Preliminary findings indicate that the video was recorded on Friday, October 23, 2026, while the group was on its way to Aliyu Ibn Abi Thalib Mosque in Maradun Local Government Area to provide security during Friday prayers and preaching.
The police said the command activated its intelligence resources to identify those involved and engaged JIBWIS leaders at the national and state levels. The organisation subsequently handed Maradun over to the police and distanced itself from the conduct captured in the video.
JIBWIS National Chairman, Abdullahi Bala-Lau, condemned the inciting remarks and called on the police, the Department of State Services and other security agencies to investigate the incident and prosecute anyone found culpable.
Bala-Lau said the calls for violence were inconsistent with the organisation’s teachings and objectives. He also cautioned that wearing the group’s First Aid Group uniform or appearing alongside its members did not automatically mean that an individual was authorised to speak on its behalf.
He expressed concern that the recording could have been intended to damage the organisation’s reputation and undermine national peace. He also highlighted JIBWIS’s interfaith engagement efforts, including an international conference in Abuja that brought together Christian leaders, Islamic scholars and international delegates to promote religious tolerance.
The police said Maradun joined JIBWIS in 2025 and recently gained admission to study Mass Communication at Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara. The command also identified Nurul Islam Islamiya and Akidatul Sahiha Islamiya as the two Islamic schools connected to the group in Maradun, although their precise roles in the incident remain subject to investigation.
Bello said the suspect would be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction after the investigation is concluded. The proposed charges include incitement to violence, disturbance of public peace and criminal intimidation under Sections 77, 78 and 380(b) of the Penal Code Law applicable in Zamfara State, subject to the evidence gathered and the applicable law.
The commissioner reaffirmed the police command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and safeguarding residents regardless of religious affiliation. He urged religious leaders, parents, school authorities and community stakeholders to promote tolerance and responsible conduct among young people.
The police also appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid circulating unverified information and refrain from actions that could heighten religious tensions or threaten public order. The command said it would take appropriate lawful action against conduct that promotes religious hatred, incites violence or threatens peaceful coexistence.
