The Police in Zamfara State have arrested the leader of a group of young children which chanted songs threatening to kill Christians, four days after the viral video went viral on social media.
According to the Police Commissioner in the State, Mohammed Bello, the arrest followed the cooperation of JIBWIS leaders at the national and state levels. JIBWIS, which is also known as the Izala sect of Islam, has been in the news lately for the wrong reasons. One of its best known leaders, Sheikh Mohammad Sani Jingir, caused quite a stir when he played the religious card in calling for votes.
He encouraged Nigerians to vote for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
His words: “Voting Muslim-Muslim Tickets is what I stand on, because we have suffered enough in the hands of Christian in Plateau State.”
He also urged Muslims to prepare their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote for Muslim candidates, arguing that Muslims should demonstrate their numerical strength through the ballot box.
Meanwhile on Monday, the First Aid Group of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) Nigeria disowned the viral video in which the individual wearing a uniform associated with the organisation is allegedly heard calling for AK-47 rifles to attack non-Muslims in Enugu and Jos, Plateau State, describing the statements as contrary to its humanitarian mission and commitment to peaceful coexistence.
The organisation’s National Director-General, Engr. Mustapha Imam Sitti, made the position known in an official statement issued from the group’s national headquarters in Utako District, Berger Junction, Abuja, in response to the video that circulated widely on social media.
The Commissioner of Police said an investigation had commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. Source: Premium Times.
Organisation Denies Authorising Threats
In the statement signed by Engr. Sitti, the First Aid Group said the use of its uniform by an individual does not automatically establish that the person is an authorised representative of the organisation.
The group stressed that the statements and actions depicted in the footage do not reflect its official position, teachings, directives or activities.
It unequivocally condemned calls for violence, intimidation or attacks against any community, irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliation.
“Our uniform represents service, compassion, the preservation of human life, and assistance to people in need—not threats or violence against innocent citizens,” the statement said.
The organisation maintained that its humanitarian responsibilities are incompatible with the promotion of violence or hostility towards people of other faiths.
Suspect Reportedly Disowned After Disciplinary Action
The First Aid Group further stated that the individual featured in the video did not possess an official identity card or certificate confirming membership of the organisation.
According to the statement, the individual had been discharged from the group following disciplinary action and was no longer recognised as a member. The organisation therefore maintained that he had no authority to represent it or speak on its behalf.
The clarification comes amid public concern over the apparent use of a uniform associated with a humanitarian volunteer organisation in footage containing alleged threats against Christians.
JIBWIS National Chairman Calls for Investigation
The National Chairman of JIBWIS Nigeria, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, also condemned the inflammatory statements and called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to investigate the incident.
He urged the authorities to identify those responsible and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable in accordance with the law.
Lau distanced the organisation from the alleged threats, stressing that wearing the First Aid Group uniform does not confer official authority to speak for JIBWIS.
The chairman also expressed concern that the incident could undermine national peace and damage the organisation’s reputation.
Christian Association of Nigeria Demands Accountability
The controversy has also drawn a reaction from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which called for an independent investigation into the video.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said on Tuesday that threats against people because of their religious beliefs must not be dismissed as harmless chants.
The association urged security agencies to establish when and where the footage was recorded, identify the individuals involved and determine whether others organised or facilitated the alleged threats.
CAN also called for appropriate measures to protect Christian communities and places of worship in Enugu, Jos and other parts of the country, while urging Christians to remain calm and law-abiding.
The association acknowledged JIBWIS’s reported disavowal of the footage but maintained that an organisational denial should not replace an independent investigation.
Verification Questions Remain
A fact-check published by PRNigeria on October 27 examined the circulating footage, its online distribution and the available information about the uniforms.
The fact-check reported that investigators could not establish the original location of the recording from the available video metadata. It also noted that the footage did not provide sufficient identifying information beyond the clothing worn by the participants.
PRNigeria further reported that JIBWIS officials denied that the individuals shown were members of the organisation. A representative cited differences between the uniform details in the footage and those ordinarily used by the group.
With the reported arrest of the suspect in Zamfara State, attention now turns to the police investigation and the establishment of the facts surrounding the footage.