The Nasarawa State Police Command has officially denied circulating reports about Fulani herdsmen invading and disrupting a church crusade in Agboda village. The clarification came on Tuesday morning, November 25, following viral social media claims about the alleged incident.
Police Response to Viral Claims
Police spokesperson Ramhan Hansel confirmed to journalists that security agencies have no record of any such attack occurring in the state. Hansel stated there is no report of such incident in any of the police stations across Nasarawa State, raising questions about the authenticity of the viral video circulating online.
When questioned about the specific details of the rumoured attack, Hansel asked for concrete information to enable proper investigation. "Kindly advise them to visit the nearest police station and report and we will take it up from them. Or, kindly get the proper name of the village so that we can send our men to find out," the police spokesperson told reporters.
Growing Disinformation Crisis
The incident highlights the escalating challenge of disinformation in Nigeria's security landscape. As the country faces increased militant attacks and instability in northern regions, false information continues to spread rapidly across social media platforms.
Security experts note that Nigeria is currently experiencing an intensified wave of disinformation as citizens attempt to make sense of the nation's complex security crisis. Conflict reporter Johnstone Kpilaakaa observed that "in trying to explain or defend different positions, some commentators end up amplifying fresh propaganda, and the result has been messy."
Broader Security Context
The rumoured church incident comes amid genuine security concerns across Nigeria. Recent months have witnessed:
- ISWAP fighters killing a brigadier-general in the northeast
- Armed bandits abducting more than 300 Catholic school students
- Mass kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls from a public school
- Increased activities by terrorist groups including al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM
These security challenges have created an environment where rumours can spread rapidly, often causing unnecessary panic among communities.
Earlier reports from religious leader Primate Elijah Ayodele emphasized the need for President Bola Tinubu to address politicians allegedly financing terrorism, warning that without arresting these financiers, efforts to curb insecurity would prove ineffective.
The Nasarawa police continue to urge citizens to report genuine security concerns through proper channels while cautioning against spreading unverified information that could escalate tensions unnecessarily.
