The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed a viral video claiming to show bandits operating in a forest within the state, describing the footage as “false, misleading, and recycled.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the video does not originate from Ogun or any part of Nigeria.
“The video is false, misleading, and does not originate from Ogun State or any part of Nigeria,” the police said.
According to the command, preliminary findings revealed that the footage was recorded in Kenya during an operation involving cattle rustlers and was captured by a General Service Unit drone.
“Further verification indicates that the video was first uploaded online in 2022 and has since been deliberately recirculated with a false narrative to create panic and misinform the public,” the statement added.
The state Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, condemned the circulation of the video, warning that such content could undermine public confidence in security agencies.
He said the spread of unverified information “is capable of causing unnecessary fear and undermining public confidence in security agencies.”
Ojajuni also dismissed claims of criminal activity in the state’s forests, stating that “there is no intelligence or operational report to support the claim of any such criminal presence within forests or any part of Ogun State.”
He reassured residents of the command’s commitment to security, noting that it remains proactive through “intelligence-led policing, strategic deployments, and sustained operational vigilance across the state.”
The police urged members of the public to disregard the video and avoid sharing unverified information.
“Members of the public are advised to disregard the viral video and its accompanying false claims, and to refrain from sharing unverified information capable of inciting panic or disrupting public peace,” the statement said.
The command also warned that “the spread of false information and inciting content will not be tolerated.”