If You Believe Bandits Will Come Across Police And Won’t Open Fire, You Can Believe Anything -Babatunde Akinteye

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Babatunde Akinteye, also known as Babtee, has said that anyone who believes armed bandits would encounter police operatives without opening fire misunderstands the security situation in Nigeria.

In a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, June 25, 2026, Akinteye reacted to a viral video circulating on social media showing a convoy of motorcycle riders moving along a rural road in Katsina State while a police officer appeared to observe their movement.

“If you believe bandits will come across police and won’t open fire at them, then you can believe anything,” Babtee wrote.

The footage sparked speculation online, with some users alleging that the riders were armed bandits operating freely in the area.

The Nigeria Police Force dismissed the claims, stating that the individuals in the video were registered members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and licensed hunters assisting security agencies during operations in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

Police spokesperson Anietie Iniedu said the interpretation of the footage as a bandit convoy was inaccurate.

An analysis of the video shows a large number of motorcycles travelling in formation along a rural route, but the identity of the riders and the objects they were carrying could not be independently verified from the footage by those circulating the video online.

The controversy surrounding the footage comes as northern Nigeria, especially Katsina State, has witnessed increase in bandit activity in recent months, resulting in increased security concerns among Nigerians.