The Nigerian Army says a viral video claiming the arrest of a foreign arms dealer in Zamfara is misleading and outdated.
In a statement on Thursday, Appolonia Anele, acting director of army public relations, said the footage is being wrongly linked to ongoing operations in Zamfara.
Anele said Shehu Ali Kachalla, the individual in the clip, was arrested on May 14, 2021, by the Zamfara police command.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to categorically state that the said video is not recent,” the statement reads.
“To set the record straight, the individual featured in the footage, Shehu Ali Kachalla, a 30-year-old Nigerien national, was arrested by the Zamfara State Police Command on 14 May 2021.
“The arrest was made in a joint intelligence-led operation involving operatives of the Federal Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Nigeria Police Force.
“The suspect confessed to having illegally supplied over 450 rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition to criminal elements across Zamfara, Kaduna, and Niger States.”
Anele described the reappearance of the video as “an attempt to misinform the public and undermine ongoing counter-terrorism and anti-banditry efforts.”
She said no army personnel were indicted in the 2021 case despite the suspect’s claim of collusion by an unnamed security operative.
The spokesperson said the army remains resolute in its constitutional mandate to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Anele also asked the public to disregard the video and advised content creators to verify materials before circulating them.
