Explosive Allegation or Misunderstood Mission? Police Break Silence on Viral Helicopter Video Linked to Terrorists

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Premium Times Newspaper has reported that the Nigeria Police Force has dismissed claims linking its operations to terrorist support, following the circulation of a viral video showing a helicopter departing from a group of armed men in Kogi State.

The video, which surfaced on social media Monday, ignited widespread speculation that the aircraft was delivering supplies to suspected terrorists. However, in a statement issued Tuesday, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner of Police Olumuyiwa Adejobi called the narrative “misleading and false.”

According to ACP Adejobi, the helicopter was deployed on 10 May as part of a coordinated law enforcement raid targeting criminal hideouts around the Obajana area of Kogi State. He emphasized that the operation involved multiple security agents, including police officers, local vigilantes, and hunters.

“The helicopter provided aerial support and surveillance to ground troops during a tactical security mission,” he clarified. “At no point was it used to transport supplies to bandits, as wrongly portrayed.”

The police urged the public to disregard the viral claim and advised citizens to rely only on verified sources for information concerning national security.

This incident echoes similar controversies from the past. Notably, in 2021, a video alleging that a helicopter dropped supplies to terrorists went viral, only to be debunked as footage from the Central African Republic, not Nigeria.

Reaffirming their stance, the Nigeria Police stressed their commitment to safeguarding the public and working alongside community stakeholders to improve national security.