The Nigerian police have reacted to a viral video where some men alleged to be its personnel were caught killing an unarmed civilian.

According to the police, the security officers captured in the video were from a “sister security agency”, and not from the police.

A video was being circulated on Twitter and Facebook that showed two armed security officers dragging an unarmed young man through the street, before firing at him at close range.

The man went down on the floor and appeared to have died instantly.

RT: UPDATE ON #PCRRU908001.
It has been established that the armed men in the viral video are not officers of the @PoliceNG but operatives of a sister security agency.
All the men rounded up in the video are members of a violent kidnap for ransom syndicate who were tracked… pic.twitter.com/AhqweXh4dS

— POLICE COMPLAINT (@PoliceNG_PCRRU) January 29, 2019

RT: We’ve viewed a viral video purported to be @PoliceNG officers & an alleged gunshot sound.
Video said to be the shooting of an unarmed man in Benin-City today.
Investigation has been launched, tracking No. #PCRRU908001.
Pls contact us if you’ve additional info.@YomiShogunle

— POLICE COMPLAINT (@PoliceNG_PCRRU) January 29, 2019

However, the police took to its Twitter account on Tuesday to deny the allegations.

“It has been established that the armed men in the viral video are not officers of the @PoliceNG but operatives of a sister security agency,” the police said via its Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) @PoliceNG_PCRRU.

It added: “All the men rounded up in the video are members of a violent kidnap for ransom syndicate who were tracked down to the said location.”

Watch video below (credit to Premium Times)