The Katsina State Police Command has refuted widespread social media claims alleging that residents of Safana Local Government Area engaged in a hostage exchange with bandits.
In a statement issued on Friday which was obtained by The News Chronicle, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, said the circulating reports suggesting that communities in Babban Duhu, Sabon Birni, and Babanli abducted relatives of bandits in retaliation for earlier kidnappings were completely untrue.
According to him, “The Katsina State Command is aware of fake news making the rounds in social media. The news is alleging that bandit groups and villagers in Safana Local Government, specifically in Babban Duhu, Sabon Birni, and Babanli villages, have engaged in the swapping of hostages.”
He explained that the claims appeared to have originated from unverified accounts stating that bandits abducted villagers and that locals allegedly retaliated by seizing family members of the criminals to force a swap.
However, Aliyu confirmed that security checks and community intelligence showed that “no such incident occurred in Babban Duhu, Sabon Birni, or Babanli.”
He described the rumours as “baseless, false, and malicious,” stressing that coordinated investigations involving community leaders and intelligence units revealed no evidence supporting the alleged exchange.
“The spread of such misinformation is dangerous, as it inflames public fear, erodes trust in institutions, and could endanger lives,” he added.
The spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to safeguarding residents and maintaining stability across the state. He urged the public to stay calm, avoid circulating unverified information, and remain alert.
