Ogun Police Debunk Viral Bandits’ Forest Video As Fake, Recycled Footage

The Ogun State Police Command has debunked a viral video alleging the presence of bandits in a forest within the state, describing the footage as false, misleading, and recycled.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, clarified that the video did not originate from Ogun State or anywhere in Nigeria.

“The video is false, misleading, and does not originate from Ogun State or any part of Nigeria,” the police said.

The command explained that preliminary investigations showed the footage was actually recorded in Kenya during an operation targeting cattle rustlers and was captured by a General Service Unit drone.

“Further verification indicates that the video was first uploaded online in 2022 and has since been deliberately recirculated with a false narrative to create panic and misinform the public,” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, condemned the spread of the video, warning that such misinformation could erode public trust in security agencies.

He said the circulation of unverified content “is capable of causing unnecessary fear and undermining public confidence in security agencies.”

Ojajuni also dismissed claims of criminal activity in Ogun forests, stating that “there is no intelligence or operational report to support the claim of any such criminal presence within forests or any part of Ogun State.”

He reassured residents of the command’s resolve to maintain security through “intelligence-led policing, strategic deployments, and sustained operational vigilance across the state.”

The police urged the public to ignore the video and avoid sharing unverified content.

“Members of the public are advised to disregard the viral video and its accompanying false claims, and to refrain from sharing unverified information capable of inciting panic or disrupting public peace,” the statement said.

The command further warned that “the spread of false information and inciting content will not be tolerated.”