The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a Pastor and one other suspect in connection to the dissemination of false information alleging that bandits invaded Lamini Community.
The suspects, identified as Pastor Amos Joel Muyiwa and Mulikat Bashiru, were reported to have claimed bandits attack with six persons alleged killed in the community located in Ido Local Government Area of the state.
As contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, the suspected raised the alarm in a widely circulated voice note on various WhatsApp platforms and other social media channels.
This, according to Ayanlade, generated fear, panic, and apprehension among residents and other members of the public, while creating unnecessary tension within and around the affected area.
In reaction, the police mobilised patrol and tactical teams who discovered that such incident never occurred in the community.
“Upon receipt of the information, the Command immediately mobilized patrol and tactical teams to Lamini Community and its environs to verify the claim, reassure residents, and douse the palpable tension generated by the alarming report.
“Following a thorough assessment and on-the-ground verification, it was conclusively established that the purported bandit invasion and killing of six persons never occurred.
“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, psc, mnips, directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department (SID) to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the origin and dissemination of the false information.” The statement partly read.
Ayanlade said the ensuing intelligence-driven investigation, supported by forensic analysis, traced the incriminating voice note to Amos who was subsequently arrested.
During interrogation, the clergyman admitted to authoring and circulating the voice note without verifying the authenticity of the information which would be discovered to have originated from Bashiru.
“Further investigations revealed that the false alarm originated from one Mulikat Bashiru, who had raised the unfounded claim within the community.
“She was thereafter identified, traced, and arrested in connection with the matter.
“Both suspects are currently cooperating with investigators as efforts continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and identify any other persons involved in the creation or propagation of the false narrative.” The police spokesperson wrote further.
The Oyo Police Command maintained that the deliberate spread of false information, fake news, misinformation, and disinformation is a serious threat to public order, national security, and peaceful coexistence.
It warned that such actions are capable of triggering panic, undermining public confidence, disrupting socio-economic activities, and diverting critical security resources away from genuine emergencies.
“Misinformation and disinformation do not merely mislead the public; they constitute a direct attack on our collective resolve to build a secure and peaceful society.
“At a time when security agencies, community leaders, and law-abiding citizens are working collaboratively to sustain the prevailing security gains across Oyo State, the deliberate circulation of false narratives serves only to create unnecessary fear, weaken public trust, and create opportunities for criminal elements to exploit public anxiety and confusion.” The statement read.
The Command urged residents to exercise restraint, responsibility, and vigilance in the use of social media and other communication platforms.
“Members of the public are advised to verify information through credible and official sources before sharing same, as individuals found deliberately originating or disseminating false information capable of causing public disorder will be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with extant laws.” It said.