When were they allowed to carry machine guns?’: Nigerians tackle police after calling armed men in viral video vigilantes
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has come under intense scrutiny from Nigerians after identifying a group of heavily armed men seen in a viral video as registered vigilantes and hunters supporting security operations in Katsina State.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday after a video surfaced online showing a long convoy of motorcycle riders moving past stationary vehicles while a police officer appeared to acknowledge them as they passed.
Voices heard in the background of the footage described the riders as “barayin daji” – a Hausa term commonly used to refer to armed bandits – prompting widespread speculation that the convoy consisted of criminals operating openly in the presence of security personnel.
A review of the video shows dozens of motorcycles travelling in formation along a rural road. Some of the riders appeared to be carrying long objects believed to be firearms, while a police officer and another security operative stood by the roadside as the convoy moved through the area.
The footage, however, does not conclusively establish the identity of the riders. While some social media users alleged that the men were armed with AK-47 rifles and machine guns, the video itself does not clearly verify the exact type of weapons being carried.