Police arrest another man in Ogun over fake kidnapping video

The Ogun State Police Command has taken into custody a man identified as Johnson Elleh over claims that he produced and shared a fabricated video suggesting kidnapping and bandit activity along the Owode-Idiroko corridor.

This is coming not too long one Qawiyu Oloyede of Sokoto Road, Atan-Ota, who was arrested for posting a fake bandit attack on social media. He was said to have admitted that he fabricated the video to attract online followers.

The  current arrest was confirmed on Thursday in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi.

Authorities said the video, which gained traction on social media, was quickly investigated after it came to the attention of the police.

According to the Command, checks carried out showed no evidence of any such security incident in the area mentioned.

In a statement, Babaseyi said, “Findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create fear, panic, and anxiety among members of the public.

“Extensive investigation and verification further established that there was no kidnapping or banditry incident as portrayed in the video within the Owode-Idiroko axis or its environs.

“Further investigation revealed that the suspect was featured in the video and was subsequently identified by detectives, leading to his arrest.

“Preliminary findings indicate that he deliberately fabricated and circulated the false narrative for attention and content creation purposes. His actions were capable of causing unnecessary public alarm, disrupting social order, and undermining public confidence in the security architecture of the State.”

The police added that the suspect allegedly admitted during questioning that the video was created to attract attention and boost online engagement.

The Command confirmed that investigations are still ongoing and that the suspect would be prosecuted after the process is concluded.

It also criticised the spread of unverified security information, warning that such conduct poses risks to public peace and will not be tolerated.

Residents were urged to disregard the misleading video and rely only on official communication channels for security updates. The Command also assured the public that Ogun State remains secure and calm.

Police authorities further stated that enforcement actions against individuals spreading false alarms on social media would continue.