Ogun Police Arrest Man Over Fake Kidnapping That Sparked Panic

(Tthe suspect. Photo Credit: BBC)

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Mr. Johnson Elleh for producing and spreading a misleading video that falsely portrayed kidn@pping and banditry activities along the Owode-Idiroko axis of Ogun State.

The Command's spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this on Wednesday, explaining that upon sighting the viral video, the command immediately moved to scrutinise its contents and launched a swift investigation to verify the claims being made.

Findings from the investigation revealed that the video was entirely false, deliberately crafted to stoke fear, panic, and anxiety among members of the public.

According to Babaseyi, extensive verification confirmed that no kidn@pping or banditry incident of any kind had taken place within the Owode-Idiroko axis or its surrounding areas as portrayed in the video.

Detectives were subsequently able to identify the suspect as someone featured in the footage, leading to his arrest.

Preliminary findings suggest he fabricated and circulated the false narrative purely for the purposes of grabbing attention and generating content.

The police spokesperson stressed that the suspect's actions had the potential to cause unnecessary public alarm, disrupt social order, and erode public confidence in the state's security framework. He added that the suspect will be charged to court once investigations are fully concluded.

The Command also issued a stern warning to individuals and groups who deliberately circulate false security alerts, urging them to immediately stop or face the full weight of the law.

Babaseyi reaffirmed that the Command will continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute anyone found culpable regardless of their status or motivation, and called on residents to remain calm, go about their lawful activities without fear, and rely only on verified information from official sources.