Officer in viral photo not Sokoto Hisbah commander escort — Police

The Sokoto Police Command has dismissed claims circulating on social media that a Superintendent of Police was seen escorting a Hisbah commander, describing the allegation as false and misleading.

In a rejoinder issued on Sunday, the Command said the photograph being shared on X, formerly Twitter, and other platforms was an old image deliberately taken out of context to spread disinformation.

According to the statement signed by Ahmad Rufa’i, the individual dressed in Hisbah uniform in the image was not a Hisbah commander but Governor Ahmed Aliyu.

Police authorities explained that the image was taken on November 22, 2024, during the inauguration of the Sokoto State Hisbah Board and the commissioning of its secretariat.

The Command further clarified that the Superintendent of Police seen behind the governor was serving as his Aide-de-Camp at the time and was performing his statutory duty of providing close protection.

“The original context of the image has been deliberately distorted to suit a false narrative,” the statement said.

The police stressed that no officer escorted any Hisbah commander as alleged and urged the public to disregard the misleading claim, reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and neutrality in maintaining law and order.

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