The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a member of Jama’atu Izalatil Bidi’a Wa’ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) over a viral video allegedly showing him calling for weapons to attack Christians.
The Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Gusau, saying investigations had commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to Bello, the command became aware of the video circulating on social media, which showed the suspect in the company of pupils from two Islamiyya schools in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The suspect was allegedly heard chanting, “give us rifles to go and kill Christians.”
The police commissioner said preliminary investigations indicated that the video was recorded on Friday, October 23, 2026, while the suspect was heading to Aliyu Ibn Abi Thalib Mosque, where he and others reportedly provided security during Friday prayers.
He identified the schools whose pupils appeared in the footage as Nurul Islam Islamiyya and Akidatul Sahiha Islamiyya, both located in Maradun, approximately 120 kilometres from Gusau.
Bello said the police subsequently contacted the national and state leadership of JIBWIS, which reportedly distanced itself from the suspect’s conduct.
The suspect was later apprehended by the organisation and handed over to the police for investigation.
The commissioner identified him as Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun, a native of Maradun Local Government Area, born on September 15, 2004.
He disclosed that the suspect attended Mualledi Model Primary School and Government Day Secondary School, both in Maradun, before joining JIBWIS in 2025.
The suspect recently gained admission to study Mass Communication at Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara, the police commissioner added.
Bello said the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations over alleged offences bordering on 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.
The police commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting citizens of all religious backgrounds and safeguarding their constitutional rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
He condemned acts capable of promoting religious hatred or threatening peaceful coexistence, urging religious leaders, parents, guardians and school authorities to teach young people tolerance and respect for people of other faiths.
Bello also appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid circulating unverified information and refrain from actions that could heighten religious tension.
