A video has surfaced showing young men in brown uniforms and blue berets chanting about AK-47 rifles and attacks on Christians in Enugu and Jos. The men are associated with the Agaji volunteer group of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah, known as JIBWIS or Izala. The chant calls for a rifle to go to Enugu, “the land of the infidels,” and open fire on worshippers on a Sunday. It then calls for another rifle to go to Jos and “kill more infidels.” The chant describes the act as “the training.” The exact date and location of the recording remain unverified.
JIBWIS was founded in 1978 in Jos. It is a major Salafi Islamic movement. It runs education, humanitarian and moral reform programmes. Its First Aid Group, known as ‘Yan Agaji, provides volunteer services. The group has operated for about 48 years. It has recently promoted interfaith dialogue. In 2026, it held an international conference in Abuja with Christian leaders and Muslim scholars. The video contradicts that messaging. It also raises questions about child indoctrination. The children in the footage appear young. They are marching in formation. They are repeating the chant. Amnesty International said the slogans are “a vicious display of children being manipulated and indoctrinated with violence and hatred.”
The national chairman of JIBWIS, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, condemned the video. He called on the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and other agencies to investigate. He said anyone found culpable should face justice. He distanced the organisation from the chants. “Wearing the uniform of the JIBWIS First Aid Group or appearing among its members does not automatically establish that an individual is acting on behalf of the organisation,” he said. He suggested the video could be an attempt to damage the organisation’s reputation.
Amnesty International Nigeria demanded an independent investigation. It called for the protection of the children involved. It urged authorities to identify the organisers and examine the curricula used in youth programmes. It cited the Child Rights Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The JIBWIS faction led by Sheikh Yahaya Jingir also condemned the video. Its Chairman of Internet Operations, Mallam Ibrahim Maina, told journalists the leadership was unhappy. He claimed the individuals in the footage belonged to the Bala Lau-led faction. Bala Lau’s faction has not responded to that claim.
Former Senator Shehu Sani defended JIBWIS. He described the group as peaceful volunteers. He said the individual in the video should be investigated. “The deranged views of one person cannot be used as the opinion of a group or a faith,” he said. He did not address the fact that children were involved.
No arrests have been announced. The police and DSS have not issued statements. The Enugu and Plateau state governments have not commented. The location of the recording remains unknown. The identities of the man and the children are unverified.
The online reaction split. Some demanded arrests. Others claimed the video was fabricated to smear Muslims. A user named Abdul M Y said it was “fabricated to tarnish the image of Islam.” Another user, Arojinle, rejected that claim. “This video is real,” he wrote. “The fact that you guys are trying to cover it up, rather than addressing the terrorism tendencies, is worrisome.”
Winners: JIBWIS, if its condemnation is accepted. Amnesty International, which gains a platform. Critics who demand accountability. Losers: The children in the video, who were used to spread hatred. Christians in Enugu and Jos, who are named as targets. JIBWIS, whose reputation is damaged. The Bala Lau faction, if the Jingir faction’s claim holds. The state, which has not responded. Nigerians, who see another threat of religious violence.
Bottom Line: Children chanted for rifles to kill Christians. They wore a religious group’s uniform. The group says it did not authorise them. The video is unverified but real enough to demand a probe. The children were indoctrinated. The targets were named. The police have not acted. Until they do, the chant remains a threat and a test of whether Nigeria protects its citizens from words that precede violence.