The Nigeria Police Force says Umar Maradun will be charged in court over a viral video allegedly inciting religious violence, as JIBWIS factions led by Sheikh Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir and Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau condemn the threats.
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of a 22-year-old man, Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun, over a viral video allegedly showing youths calling for AK-47 rifles to attack people described as “infidels” in Enugu and Jos, Plateau State.
The video, which circulated widely on social media, reportedly showed youths wearing uniforms associated with the First Aid Group of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) chanting statements threatening attacks in the two locations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 27, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, confirmed the arrest, describing the alleged statements as capable of inciting religious violence and threatening public peace and peaceful coexistence.
“The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun, a 22-year-old from Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in connection with a viral video allegedly containing statements capable of inciting religious violence,” the statement said.
The police said the Zamfara State Command had activated its intelligence resources to identify those involved and engaged JIBWIS leadership at national and state levels.
According to the Force, the organisation’s leadership disassociated itself from the alleged conduct and handed the suspect over to the police. Maradun is expected to be charged in court following the investigation.
How the video was recorded
According to a separate account by the Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, the video was recorded on Friday, October 23, while Maradun and other youths were reportedly on their way to provide security during Friday prayers at a mosque.
The footage attracted widespread reactions after it emerged online, with the youths allegedly calling for AK-47 rifles to attack people in Enugu and Jos.
The circumstances surrounding the recording, including the identities of everyone involved and whether the activity was officially authorised, remain matters for investigation.
Maradun reportedly joined JIBWIS in 2025 and secured admission to study Mass Communication at Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara.
The police urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid further circulating the video or sharing unverified information that could heighten religious tensions or threaten public order.
The Force also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians irrespective of religious affiliation and upholding the constitutional rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It said appropriate lawful action would be taken against anyone found responsible for inciting religious hatred, provoking violence or threatening public peace.
Jingir-led JIBWIS condemns threats
The faction of JIBWIS led by Sheikh Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir has condemned the alleged calls for violence, stressing that it rejects such conduct under any guise.
In a message to Muslim News, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ahmad Muhammad Ashiru, said the organisation condemned the calls against the backdrop of the security challenges facing Nigerians, particularly in the northern part of the country.
“JIBWIS under the Leadership of Ash-Sheikh Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir denounce call to violence under any guise especially now that households are trying to endure the pains of Insecurity,” Ashiru said.
He highlighted banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery in the North-West and North-Central, as well as the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, among the challenges confronting the country.
Ashiru called on security agencies to carry out their responsibilities diligently and ensure that those found responsible were brought to justice.
“We call on Security Agencies to carry out their duty with due diligence and bring culprit to Justice,” he said.
Also reacting, the faction’s Chairman of Internet Operations, Mallam Ibrahim Maina, told The Punch that the leadership condemned the video and was unhappy with the alleged calls for violence.
“I saw the video quite alright, and we in JIBWIS, led by Yahaya Jingir, condemn it. We are not happy about it,” Maina said.
He maintained that those featured in the video did not belong to the Jingir-led faction, while stressing that the alleged conduct was unacceptable.
The faction’s leadership called on security agencies to investigate the footage, identify those responsible and bring anyone found culpable to justice.
Bala Lau-led JIBWIS also condemns video
The faction of JIBWIS led by its National Chairman, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, also condemned the alleged calls for violence on Monday, October 26, urging security agencies to investigate the video and take appropriate action against anyone found culpable.
The condemnation came a day before the Nigeria Police Force announced Maradun’s arrest on Tuesday.
The Bala Lau-led faction’s position further distanced its leadership from the inflammatory statements attributed to the youths in the video, stressing the need for the matter to be investigated.
JIBWIS reaffirms interfaith commitment, calls for probe of viral video threatening Enugu, Plateau
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