LASU Management, Students Fume Over ‘Bandits Prank’ Video Shot Inside Varsity

The Lagos State University (LASU) community has been thrown into outrage following the circulation of a controversial prank video in which a group of young men dressed as armed bandits stormed the campus, sparking panic among students.

The video, titled “Bandits Prank on Lasuites” and uploaded on December 5 by Datreez Entertainment TV, showed men wearing turbans and desert-style costumes typically associated with extremist groups. A behind-the-scenes clip revealed the pranksters dressing up and driving chaotically into a crowd of students while a camera operator filmed their reactions.

Visibly frightened students were seen fleeing during the incident, which came amid heightened concerns over recent school attacks in Niger and Kebbi States.

The video, which has since been deleted from Datreez Entertainment TV’s page, with over 3,400 followers and 164,000 likes, remained accessible on another creator’s account claiming affiliation with the group.

In its place, Datreez Entertainment International published a formal apology on Sunday, describing the entire production as a “social experiment” and admitting that it was staged.

According to the statement, “The content was strictly a social experiment created purely for entertainment purposes. Every scene, action, and reaction captured in the video was fully staged, involving participants who were aware of the concept and voluntarily part of the production.”

The group also apologised for the distress caused, adding, “We sincerely regret any anxiety, fear, or discomfort the video may have triggered. This was never our intention. We tender our unreserved apology to the Management of Lagos State University.”

Datreez further noted that “no member of the public was placed in danger, harmed, or subjected to distress,” while acknowledging that “Nigeria is currently dealing with sensitive security challenges.”

However, the apology has done little to calm tensions within the university community, as several student content creators have expressed frustration over what they described as tighter restrictions on filming on campus since the video surfaced.

Popular TikTok creator Anuoluwapo, a LASU student, criticised the prank in a recent post, saying, “This thing does not make sense. When I saw the video, I could not even continue watching it. For days now, security officers have been seizing students’ phones and tripods. You cannot even create content freely again on campus. See what this has caused.”

He lamented that the incident had damaged the reputation of student creators, adding, “The school supports content creators, but this prank has taken us backwards. Normally, adults do not like content creation, but we the Gen Zs have been trying to make them see its importance. These people have spoiled things.”

Other LASU-based creators, including Tush Agbero and Temmytayo GP, also shared videos complaining about increased surveillance by campus security officers.

The university management also formally disowned the video, describing it as unauthorised and unacceptable.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar, Centre for Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Thomas-Onashile Oluwayemisi, LASU said “The University did not give any form of approval, authorisation, or endorsement for the recording of the said video. LASU strongly condemns acts or content that portray or suggest banditry, terrorism, or violent extremism.
The University does not support or encourage any prank that can incite fear, disrupt campus peace, or threaten the sense of safety of its students and staff.”

The institution urged students to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to its security unit.

LASU, widely known for its vibrant community of young content creators, has in recent years become a hub for online skits and campus-based productions. But the prank has now reignited debate over the boundaries of creativity and safety in Nigerian universities.

In October, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) similarly banned unauthorised filming on its premises, including hostels and lecture areas, citing concerns over misrepresentation and disruption of academic activities.