RismadarVoice Reporters
October 10, 2026
The Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command have dismissed a viral social media report alleging that 111 people, including civilians and security personnel, were killed during an attack on a community in Sokoto State.
The disputed report, circulated by a Facebook page identified as Hausaland Magazine on October 5, 2026, claimed that armed attackers invaded a community described as “Garin Gobir Gindin,” killing more than 100 civilians, 10 soldiers and one Mobile Police officer.
The publication further alleged that several residents were abducted during the attack, triggering widespread reactions and concerns over security in the state.
The post, which included an image showing several motionless individuals dressed in civilian and military-style clothing, also contained ethnic allegations capable of heightening tensions among communities.
However, military and police authorities rejected the account, maintaining that no attack involving the reported number of casualties occurred in Sokoto State.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, reportedly described the viral information as false.
“There was no such attack involving the reported mass casualties in the state,” Osoba stated.
Similarly, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ahmed Rufa’i, denied that the alleged incident occurred within the state’s jurisdiction.
“This incident did not occur within Sokoto,” Rufa’i said.
Questions were also raised about the authenticity of the report following inconsistencies in its description of the alleged attack.
One discrepancy involved the date of the supposed incident. The publication described October 5, 2026, as a Tuesday, whereas the date actually fell on a Monday.
The report also identified the location as “Garin Gobir Gindin,” a community name that could not be established from the information available in the original account.
While authorities denied the alleged mass killing, a separate security incident was reported in Ungushi village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, on Sunday, October 4.
According to the account attributed to the Sokoto State Police Command, suspected bandits attacked the village, killing two residents and injuring another person.
The separate incident did not correspond with the scale or location of the mass-casualty claims circulated online.
The viral publication also raised concerns about the spread of unverified security information and the potential consequences of attributing violent incidents to particular ethnic communities without credible evidence.
Security authorities urged members of the public to verify reports through credible sources and official channels before sharing them, particularly when such information could generate panic, deepen ethnic divisions or undermine public confidence.
The denials underscore the importance of responsible information sharing amid continuing security concerns in parts of northwestern Nigeria.
