The Niger state government has urged residents to disregard a viral video of heavily armed gunmen purportedly moving into some parts of the state, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement on Thursday.

“Our attention has been drawn to a viral video of heavily armed gunmen said to be at the entrance of a town purported to be Niger State territory, Nigeria, but discovered to be in Chad.

“The purported video is that of a terrorist group in Chad, but not anywhere in Nigeria.

“We hasten to state categorically that the information is false, as such thing did not happen anywhere in the state.

“We equally desire to warn scaremongers to leave Niger State and ply their trade elsewhere,” the statement read in part.

According to the commissioner, some people are using the internet for mischief and to peddle falsehood and spread fear.

He said such people have survived long enough and shall no longer be tolerated by the state government.

Mr Idris warned that any person caught sharing fake videos, of whatever nature, with a view to driving the state and its residents into a panic, shall be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the Law.

“The Niger state government wishes to inform the public that even as there are elements of Boko Haram at the fringes of an area of the state, the federal and state government are working assiduously to flush out the terrorists from these areas.

“Our security agents are working bravely and professionally to restore stability to the troubled part within the shortest possible time,” the commissioner said.

(NAN)