Gombe Police Dismiss Viral Video of Youths ‘Mobilising Against Insurgents’

The Gombe State Police Command has refuted claims circulating on social media that youths in the state were mobilising to confront insurgents.

A widely shared video on Facebook, which featured sounds of gunshots, was accompanied by a caption suggesting that Gombe residents were preparing to defend themselves and take on militant groups. The post also argued that state police should no longer be debated but implemented.

However, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Buhari, told reporters on Saturday that the footage was actually taken during a traditional Sallah celebration. He explained that the gunshots were fired by local hunters as part of festivities to honour the Emir of Gombe.

“That was a video done by hunters in celebration of the Islamic celebration. It’s usually done to celebrate either Eid-el-Kabir or Eid-el-Fitr in the state. They did that to usher in the Emir of Gombe,” Buhari said.

He noted that the description attached to the video was entirely different from what was happening in the footage, speculating that it may have been written to generate online traffic and mislead the public.

The police spokesperson urged residents to verify information before sharing it, warning that misinformation could trigger unnecessary panic. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in the state.