The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed a viral video circulating on social media alleging the presence of armed bandits in a forest within the state, describing the content as false, misleading, and recycled.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Command clarified that the footage did not originate from Ogun State or any part of Nigeria, but was instead recorded in Kenya during an operation involving cattle rustlers.
According to the Command, preliminary findings and credible fact-checks revealed that the video, showing individuals cooking in a bush setting, was captured by a General Service Unit (GSU) drone and first uploaded online in 2022 before being recirculated with a false narrative to misinform the public.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, condemned the spread of the video, warning that such unverified content could create unnecessary panic and erode public trust in security agencies.
He stressed that there is no intelligence or operational report indicating the presence of armed bandits in any forest or location within Ogun State.
Ojajuni reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to maintaining security through intelligence-led policing, strategic deployments, and sustained surveillance across the state.
He urged members of the public to disregard the viral video and avoid sharing unverified information capable of inciting fear or disrupting public peace, advising citizens to rely on official communication channels for accurate updates.
The police chief also encouraged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through designated emergency lines, while warning that the spread of false and inciting information would not be tolerated.
