The Oyo State Police Command has dismissed as false a viral video alleging that about 300 suspected Lakurawa terrorists had infiltrated the state, warning residents against spreading unverified information capable of causing panic.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, described the video as misleading and deliberately designed to create fear and heighten tension among members of the public.
According to the command, a comprehensive forensic examination and intelligence-based assessment of the footage revealed that the claims contained in the video lacked credibility.
Ayanlade explained that investigators discovered that the voice recording accompanying the video, allegedly attributed to one Alhaji Muftau from Kontagora, was linked to similar false claims that had previously been investigated and debunked by the police.
“The Oyo State Police, following a comprehensive forensic analysis and intelligence-based verification, has confirmed that the viral video alleging the movement of about 300 Lakurawa terrorists into Oyo State is false, misleading, and deliberately crafted to cause fear, panic and heightened tension among members of the public,” the statement read.
“Findings from the forensic review revealed that the voice overlay in the circulated video, purportedly credited to one Alhaji Muftau from Kontagora, corresponds with earlier false information previously investigated and debunked by the command,” it added.
The command assured residents that it remained committed to sustaining the security gains recorded in recent times and vowed to take decisive action against individuals or groups seeking to undermine the peace and stability enjoyed in the state.
It also urged members of the public to rely on verified sources for security-related information and avoid sharing unconfirmed reports capable of causing unnecessary anxiety or disrupting public order.
