The Ogun State Police Command has again debunked a video claiming bandits’ attack in the state.
The video recorded by a drone showing a group of armed men with hostages in a forest was identified by the command as an old video from Kenya.
This was made known in a statement issued on Sunday by the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi.
According to Oluseyi, the video had earlier been debunked during its first emergence on social media in April.
The police spokesperson reiterated that the footage alleged to be recorded in Ogun Forest is false and misleading.
“A viral video claiming to show armed bandits operating in a forest in Ogun State has once again resurfaced online despite having been previously debunked by the Ogun State Police Command.
“The Command has repeatedly clarified that the footage is false, misleading, and has no connection whatsoever to Ogun State or any part of Nigeria.
“Yet, the same recycled video continues to be recirculated by individuals seeking to spread fear and misinformation.” Babaseyi said.
He noted that the video was recorded in Kenya in 2022 during an operation involving cattle rustlers.
“Our investigations and independent fact-checks established long ago that the video was recorded in Kenya during an operation involving cattle rustlers and was originally uploaded online in 2022.
“It is neither recent nor related to Ogun State. There is no intelligence, operational, or security report supporting the claims being made in the accompanying narrative.” He said.
While urging members of the public to disregard the clip, the Ogun police charged them to refrain from sharing unverified content.
“The Ogun State Police Command therefore reiterates, for the umpteenth time, that the video is fake and should be disregarded.
“The persistent recycling of already-debunked content serves no purpose other than creating unnecessary panic and undermining public confidence.
“Residents are advised to ignore the video, rely on official sources for security information, and refrain from sharing unverified content. We reassure all residents that Ogun State remains safe, peaceful, and secure.” Babaseyi said.