Army, police dismiss viral claim of mass killings in Sokoto

The Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command have refuted a viral claim on social media that alleged a mass killing of over 100 civilians and security personnel in a community in Sokoto State. The false report, published on October 5, 2026, by a Facebook page named Hausaland Magazine, claimed that armed men attacked the community of "Garin Gobir Gindin," killing more than 100 civilians and security personnel and kidnapping several others.

The post included an image of several motionless individuals, some dressed in military-style clothing and others in civilian attire. However, upon investigation by a correspondent for DAILY POST Nigeria, no record of a community by that name was found in geographical databases and community gazettes related to Sokoto State. Additionally, the date of the alleged attack was found to be incorrect, as October 5, 2026, fell on a Monday, not Tuesday as stated in the post.

Both the Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command have dismissed the allegations, stating that no such incident occurred. The false report has raised concerns about the potential spread of misinformation that could exacerbate ethnic tensions and provoke hostility, particularly in communities already affected by insecurity.

Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Post Nigeria's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.