Ayomide Awe
The Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command have dismissed a viral social media report claiming that more than 100 civilians and 11 security personnel were killed in an alleged attack on a community in Sokoto State.
The report, circulated by a Facebook page, Hausaland Magazine, on October 5, alleged that armed men attacked a community identified as “Garin Gobir Gindin”, killing more than 100 civilians, 10 soldiers and a Mobile Police officer, while abducting several residents.
However, security authorities said no such attack involving the reported mass casualties occurred in the state.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, dismissed the allegation.
“There was no such attack involving the reported mass casualties in the state,” Osoba said.
Similarly, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ahmed Rufa’i, denied that the alleged incident took place in the state.
“This incident did not occur within Sokoto,” Rufa’i said.
The viral post, which described the alleged incident as a “genocide” and a “war on Hausa”, attributed the attack to suspected Fulani terrorists and claimed that the death toll was rising.
It also featured an image of several motionless people, some wearing military-style clothing and others dressed in civilian attire.
The publication generated reactions on social media, with some users amplifying the allegations and making inflammatory comments targeting ethnic groups.
Further questions were raised about the credibility of the report following inconsistencies in its account of the alleged incident.
One of the discrepancies concerned the date. Although the post reportedly described October 5, 2026, as a Tuesday, the date fell on a Monday.
Security checks also failed to establish the existence of a community identified as “Garin Gobir Gindin” in connection with the alleged massacre.
Separately, a confirmed attack occurred on Sunday, October 4, in Ungushi village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, where two residents were reportedly killed and another person injured.
The incident was confirmed by the Sokoto State Police Command, distinguishing it from the viral claim of more than 100 civilian deaths and multiple security personnel casualties.
The development underscores the need for caution in sharing reports of mass killings, particularly when the claims have not been independently verified by credible sources.
Members of the public are advised to verify security-related information through official channels before circulating reports that could heighten fear, fuel ethnic tensions or mislead communities.
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