The recent deluge of misinformation, disinformation and false alarm that have pervaded the entire Southwest leave so much to be desired.
The disinformation are deadly, dangerous and must not be handled with levity. Already, an innocent motorcyclist has been reportedly killed by some actors who acted on the disinformation which circulated on social media.
It’s obvious the initiators of these disinformation and alarmists are content creators who are chasing clout to make cheap money from the challenge of insecurity and wouldn’t mind throwing Nigeria into panic. Raising false alarm on bandits is now the new ‘cruise’ in town, especially in Southwest, making the region susceptible to chaos and unrest.
While one is not ruling out the insecurity threat, false alarms ultimately make the security agencies to dissipate energy in mobilising and pursuing non-existing threats. It does not only divert attention from pursuing the real threat, it also prevents the security agencies from paying attention to the real problem of insecurity.
With the Muslims festival, Eid el Adha just days away, a voice note surfaced from someone who claimed to be a pastor.
He threw Osun and Oyo state into panic which resulted into self-imposed curfew from residents of these states. Motorists and pedestrians were scanty on the streets of Osogbo and Ibadan as major towns went quiet.
All these resulted from an unconfirmed claim emanating from the voice note from the pastor which suggested that bandits are ready to poison the air by 9.00pm on a particular day and a lot of people believed it.
Immediately after the Eid el Adha, another information came up which caused series of panics within Lagos, Ogun, and Osun. This time, it was backed with both audios and videos, disrupting the SSCE examination as parents, in some cases besieged the schools, demanding to take their children home.
In Osun, panic spread in Ikirun, Osun State via a purported letter, allegedly dropped at an unknown public school, leading to school shut-downs and parents rushing to pick up their wards.
A video showed a man wearing army camouflage trousers being dragged and beaten by the mob with a lady shouting on top of her voice: “Bandit ti wọ Osogbo oo” (meaning Bandits has entered Osogbo”.
Another video surfacd with an inscription: “It has been confirmed that Fulani olokada use their okada to kidnap people in Yoruba land. Don’t allow Fulani olokada to carry you, you may be kidnapped.Be warned.”
One of the disclaimers from the government and security agencies reads: “Please be advised that reports regarding banditry or related activity in Ikirun are entirely false. It is crucial for the public to disregard this misinformation which is causing unnecessary tension and leading some parents to withdraw their children from school prematurely”.
Responding to another abduction claim, a disclaimer also read: “The information circulating in the town on abduction in Osogbo area is a false news which is not true. Your pupils are safe, We just need to pray for our country”.
Despite government and police disclaimers and assurances on the unfounded rumours, those who have taken any information on social media as the gospel truth kept spreading the rumours to the gullible ones.
Within the same week, on a single day, three panic alarms were spread in Lagos. They were backed by either false or outdated videos.
False banditry attacks were reported at Ibeju Lekki, Imota in Ikorodu and Oke-Afo. The Ibeju Lekki’s false alarm was backed by a one-minute video of three Fulani men and a woman traveling within the city. They were forced to alight from the popular city bus, called Korope. A man in the video was seen holding an object which he falsely claimed to be bullets.
Unlike Ibeju Lekki, the rumour of bandit attack in Imota which claimed that three people were killed by bandits and children adopted had neither an audio nor a video clip to back it up, yet it spread like wild fire.
According to newspapers report, some men of the underworld used the opportunity to attack and kill a commercial motorcycle rider who happened to be a Fulani, and stole his motorcycle. The following day, the police arrested 15 suspects in connection with this crime and issued a statement,:
“A commercial motorcyclist has been beaten to death in Lagos after a mob, acting on viral social media posts falsely claiming armed bandits had invaded nearby communities, wrongly identified him as one of the attackers.
“The victim, Kulaha Ayuba, 24, was labelled a Fulani bandit by youths who had seen the unverified posts. He was fatally assaulted, his motorcycle stolen, and his body later discovered in a swamp within the community.
“The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the killing on Monday while debunking the invasion claims entirely.
In a statement, police spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi said the viral posts were false, misleading, and deliberately designed to incite fear among residents, adding that there was no security threat, invasion, or coordinated attack on schools and communities anywhere in Lagos State.
“The false alarm had spread across social media over the weekend, with posts claiming armed bandits were targeting schools and children in Ibeju-Lekki, Imota, Oke-Afo, and other parts of the state.
“Parents reportedly pulled children out of schools, and residents in several communities panicked.
“Fifteen suspects have been arrested in connection with Ayuba’s killing and are currently being investigated. Authorities say anyone found culpable will face prosecution.”
The police also warned that the reach of the law would extend beyond the mob itself.
The Command said individuals found responsible for originating, publishing, or deliberately circulating false and inciting information would be investigated and prosecuted”
A day before the above incidents, precisely on Sunday, an old 3-minutes video claiming OPC men arrested some Fulani herdsmen at Itamaga area, Ikorodu ferrying dangerous weapons and bullets in Ikorodu was also circulated.
The wordings attached to the video read:
“OPC Dependable Security Team led by Iba Gani Adams Arrested Fulani herdsmen in Lagos Ikorodu Central with Two vehicles loaded with bullets, guns, and explosive devices,
“This uncovered few hours ago at a scrap yard in powerline unity estate CDA, Poromope, idiroko along itamaga-Ijede road, Ikorodu.
“Aare Ona Kakanfo Of Yoruba land have warned South west leaders to be vigilant. Ijangbara’n bo, koni pe de mo (meaning war of liberation is near).
Despite the fact that the video was not dated and the news was not reported by and credible media outfit, people still believed it and it was widely circulated.
Again, there is nothing in the video that says the suspects were “Fulani herdsmen”. It was also not confirmed that those who arrested them were OPC members. The suspects were not interviewed and no one spoke for the OPC in the video.
Consequently, the Lagos State Police Command dismissed a viral video showing the arrest of some Fulani men allegedly found with arms and ammunition in Ikorodu, clarifying that the footage was an old clip from an incident that occurred more than three years ago. The command said the video does not reflect the current security situation in Ikorodu or any part of Lagos State and warned that its recirculation as a recent event could cause unnecessary panic among residents.
In a related development, the police also debunked a viral video purportedly showing the arrest of suspected kidnappers in the Simawa area, clarifying that the individuals were, in fact, serving police officers who were mistakenly identified as kidnappers and had to be rescued from an agitated crowd. The two policemen who were returning from an assignment escaped death by whiskers from the mob who raised fake alerts, whereas the officers were merely asking for direction to navigate their route.
As a result, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai therefore urged Lagos residents to verify security information through official channels before acting on it or passing it on.
In the same vein, The Ogun State Police Command debunked a series of false and misleading reports that circulated on social media alleging bandit attacks on schools and communities within the Ota and Ifo axes of Ogun State, as well as claims that suspected bandits were arrested in Atan-Ota.
According to the PRO, DSP Oluseyi. Babaseyi, “The Command states unequivocally that there has been no bandit attack, kidnapping incident, terrorist activity, or any form of security breach anywhere in Ogun State, including Oluke Community High School, Sango Ota High School (Ijoko axis), Fadunsin Area of Ijoko, Atan-Ota, Sango-Ota, Agbado, Ifo, and other adjoining communities.
“Following the circulation of the false reports, police operatives from the respective divisions were immediately mobilised to all affected locations for on-the-spot assessment, verification, and sustained confidence-building patrols aimed at preventing panic and ensuring continued public reassurance.
“In addition, the Command’s School Protection Squad, in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of the affected areas, conducted immediate security assessments of all referenced schools, including Oluke Community High School and Sango Ota High School (Ijoko axis). The exercise confirmed that all schools were safe, secure, and fully operational. School activities continued peacefully and without interruption throughout the day, with students and staff completing a successful academic day before normal closure.
“The Command notes with concern the needless tension and anxiety caused among residents by the circulation of unverified security information….
“Findings from coordinated assessments across the affected locations confirmed that normal academic, commercial, and social activities were ongoing peacefully, with no threat to lives or property anywhere in the state”, the PRO said.
Consequently, just as the arrest of the guy in charge of the AI generated video claiming that President Tinubu is behind banditry in the Southwest has been made, the Osun State Police Command also announced the arrest of one 22 year-old Odetayo Adebayo Samuel for allegedly spreading false information on social media about bandits invading Ila-Orangun in Osun State. It is also heartwarming that the acclaimed bandit who was sharing ransom money on Tiktok has been arrested.
Some Nigerians, in their quest for money, content creation, social media traction and relevance, seem prepared to plunge the country into information warfare by sacrificing the peace and stability of the country, even if it means plunging the nation into crisis. Some may also be doing this just to make the government look helpless and instigate insurrection.
The DSS and other security agencies therefore need to up their games to ensure that through fake alerts, mischief makers do not throw the entire country into crisis for their selfish interests.
Conclusion:
The disturbing happenings above underscore a need fo greater digital responsibility among citizens. At a time when voice notes, video or social media posts trigger widespread panic in seconds, Nigerians must learn how to verify information through credible and official sources before sharing to the public domain.
The disruption of schools, businesses and death of an innocent motorcyclist among other effects of the false alarm indicates that such information can be as damaging as security threats they falsely portrayed.
Security agencies and government should therefore intensify efforts to fight the deliberate spread of disinformation. Those who deliberately circulate false security alerts that endanger lives, property and public peace should be made to face the wrath of the law even as freedom of expression remains protected.
The advocacy for public safety must go beyond the streets to the media and digital spaces where rumour can easily fuel fear, chaos, unrest and war.
The government must urgently strengthen digital safety through clear regulations and statutory sanctions against deliberate spread of false alarm.
Elder Yinka Salaam is the Director of Center for Community Development and Civic Enlightenment
