The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a resident identified as Qawiyu Oloyede, who lives along Sokoto Road in Atan-Ota, for allegedly posting a fabricated video of a bandit attack on social media.
According to police authorities, the video falsely suggested a bandit invasion in the area and was widely shared online, causing fear and anxiety among residents. Investigations later confirmed that the footage was staged and no such attack occurred in Ogun State.
The suspect, who works as a tailor, was reportedly taken into custody after the video of his interrogation circulated online. In the footage, he allegedly admitted to creating the content to attract attention and grow his social media following.
He also claimed that a local herder who grazes cattle near his workshop was used in the staged video, although the herder was said to have been reluctant to participate. The suspect further stated that he has limited formal education and that captions used in the post were written by his apprentice.
Police authorities said preliminary findings showed that the content was deliberately designed to mislead the public and create a false impression of insecurity in the state. They added that the suspect had produced similar videos on previous occasions.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrest and stated that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
He warned that spreading false security-related information could endanger public peace and urged citizens to verify information before sharing it online.