A viral video allegedly showing boys in uniforms associated with the First Aid Group of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) chanting in Hausa about attacking worshippers in Enugu and Jos has triggered outrage on social media.
The footage, which circulated widely on social media from Sunday to Monday, shows a man leading the boys as they march and sing along a street.
In the chant, as translated by Religion Journalism Foundation, the leader asks for an AK-47 rifle so he can travel to Enugu and open fire on people attending church on a Sunday, then calls for another rifle to go to Jos. The group also repeats demands for rifles and imitates gunfire.
The identities of the man and the boys, the location of the recording and their affiliation with JIBWIS have not been independently verified. Reports note that the uniforms alone do not establish official affiliation or authorisation by the organisation’s leadership.
Lere Olayinka, media aide to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, urged the Department of State Services and the police to investigate, in a post on X on Monday.
Amnesty International also called for an independent investigation. It described the slogans as “a vicious display of children being manipulated and indoctrinated with violence and hatred,” and urged authorities to review the songs and curricula used in youth activities.
Safwan Umar Yahaya, a Facebook user who describes himself as a digital journalist and a former member of the group, condemned the chant. He argued that the alleged conduct of one individual cannot represent the entire JIBWIS movement.
JIBWIS, also known as Izala, is a Salafi movement founded in Jos in 1978.