Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old man, Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun, over a viral video allegedly showing him chanting a song calling for the killing of Christians.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Gusau, the state capital, saying investigations had commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the police, the video showed Maradun wearing the uniform of Jama’atu Izalatil Bidi’a Wa’ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Zamfara State chapter, alongside pupils from two Islamic schools in Maradun Local Government Area.
The footage allegedly contained the words, “give us rifles to go and kill Christians.”
Preliminary findings indicated that the video was recorded on Friday, October 23, 2026, while the suspect was reportedly on his way to Aliyu Ibn Abi Thalib Mosque, where he and others were said to have provided security during Friday prayers and preaching.
The police identified the two schools linked to the video as Nurul Islam Islamiya and Akidatul Sahiha Islamiya, both located in Maradun Local Government Area, about 120 kilometres from Gusau.
The command said it deployed intelligence resources to identify the individuals involved and engaged JIBWIS leaders at both national and state levels following the video’s circulation.
The organisation subsequently distanced itself from the alleged conduct and handed the suspect over to the police for investigation.
The police commissioner said Maradun reportedly joined JIBWIS in 2025 and recently secured admission to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication at Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara.
Bello said the suspect would be charged in court after the investigation, over alleged offences including incitement to violence, disturbance of public peace and criminal intimidation under the applicable Zamfara State Penal Code.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting residents of all religious affiliations and urged the public to remain calm, promote religious tolerance and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of heightening tensions.
