The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old man, Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun, over a viral video in which he was allegedly heard chanting a song calling for the killing of Christians.
The state Commissioner of Police, A. M. Bello, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the suspect was dressed in the uniform of Jama’atu Izalatil Bidi’a Wa’ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) when the video was recorded.
According to preliminary findings, the video was recorded on Friday, October 23, 2026, as Maradun reportedly made his way to Aliyu Ibn Abi Thalib Mosque, where he and others were said to have provided security during Friday prayers and preaching.
The footage also showed him in the company of pupils from two Islamic schools in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.
Police identified the schools as Nurul Islam Islamiya and Akidatul Sahiha Islamiya, both located about 120 kilometres from Gusau, the state capital.
Following the video’s circulation on social media, the police said they deployed intelligence resources to identify those involved and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The command also engaged JIBWIS leaders at the national and state levels. According to Bello, the organisation distanced itself from the suspect’s alleged conduct and the content of the video.
Maradun was subsequently apprehended by JIBWIS and handed over to the police for investigation.
The police commissioner said preliminary information showed that the suspect attended Mualledi Model Primary School and Government Day Secondary School, both in Maradun. He reportedly joined JIBWIS in 2025 and recently gained admission to study Mass Communication at Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara.
Bello said a comprehensive investigation was underway, adding that the suspect would be charged in court upon its conclusion over alleged offences including incitement to violence, disturbance of public peace and criminal intimidation.
The arrest comes amid heightened concerns over religiously motivated violence and inflammatory rhetoric, with authorities facing pressure to ensure that threats against religious communities are investigated promptly and impartially.
