‘Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A prominent social commentator and political activist, Dr. Kenon, has launched a blistering attack on the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing the federal government of complicity in Nigeria's worsening insecurity following a viral video showing heavily armed masked men on motorcycles passing a police checkpoint without resistance in Katsina State. The footage, which has ignited a firestorm of public outrage, showed dozens of armed riders in a long convoy along a rural road, while a police officer in camouflage uniform was seen waving at them as they passed.
The video, originally shared on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, by former Minister of Sports Solomon Dalung, quickly went viral, prompting widespread alarm and speculation that the riders were armed bandits operating with impunity. Background voices captured in the footage further fuelled the controversy, with one passenger referring to the riders as "barayin daji" — a Hausa term commonly used to describe local terrorists known as bandits.
In a swift response, the Nigeria Police Force issued a statement dismissing the claims, clarifying that the individuals in the video were not bandits but "duly recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters" actively supporting security operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State. Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, explained that the footage captured a routine interaction between a police officer and security volunteers proceeding to a designated operational area.
However, Dr. Kenon rejected the police narrative in a post on X, questioning the credibility of the government's explanation. "Vigilante that carry more sophisticated guns than the police & army combined while wearing face masks," he wrote. "If you have never had any reason to believe that Nigerian govt is complicit, here is one". He argued that asking Nigerians to believe that armed groups operating openly with weapons more sophisticated than those available to many security personnel are merely vigilantes is difficult to reconcile with the reality on the ground.
The criticism was echoed by Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni, who dismissed the police account during an interview on Thursday, June 25, 2026. "Do they think Nigerians are daft or we don't have brains?" Oseni asked. "I don't know when the police started giving salutes to vigilantes, and they carry some sophisticated weapons. So, the vigilante will be passing on motorcycle. Police will see them, police will be waving. Oh, vigilante, go ahead, go ahead". Oseni described the situation as a "mess" caused largely by the political class.
Security sources, speaking anonymously, have defended the arrangement, explaining that the motorcycle riders were members of hybrid security forces operating in collaboration with security agencies and supported by the state government. A senior Defence Intelligence source told PRNigeria that the volunteers were carrying only legally authorised firearms commonly permitted for licensed hunters and recognised vigilante groups. "The weapons seen are not sophisticated military-grade arms," the source insisted. "They are authorised rifles permitted for hunters and registered volunteer groups assisting security agencies".
Despite these assurances, the video has deepened public distrust and raised serious questions about the government's strategy for combating banditry in the North-West. Security experts note that community-based security partnerships have increasingly become part of Nigeria's counter-banditry strategy, particularly in states where local hunters, vigilante groups, and other volunteer forces provide intelligence and operational support to conventional security agencies. However, critics argue that the sight of masked men carrying what appear to be military-grade weapons raises legitimate concerns about the proliferation of arms and the erosion of state authority.
The Katsina State Government has previously imposed a total ban on motorcycle movement in Matazu and Musawa Local Government Areas as part of measures to curb banditry. The sight of a convoy of armed riders passing unchallenged in the same area has therefore heightened public anxiety and fuelled allegations of official complicity.
The incident comes amid intensified security operations across Katsina and neighbouring states, where security agencies have increasingly relied on intelligence-led collaboration with local security volunteers to combat banditry, kidnapping, and rural terrorism. The police have warned against sharing unverified security-related contents, stressing that false narratives could create unnecessary panic, erode public trust, and potentially jeopardise ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
For many Nigerians, however, the viral video is yet another damning indictment of a government struggling to contain a security crisis that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. Dr. Kenon's accusation of complicity, while explosive, reflects a growing sentiment among citizens who feel abandoned by a state that appears unable — or unwilling — to protect them. As the debate rages on, the question remains: if these are indeed vigilantes, why are they masked, and why are they carrying weapons that rival those of the military? The government has yet to provide a satisfactory answer.
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