The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a man responsible for spreading a false social media report that claimed a military helicopter had dropped unknown items in a forested area between the Nimo and Adazi-Nnukwu communities.
The viral video, which circulated on Thursday, alleged that the aircraft had landed and deposited suspicious materials, sparking widespread panic among residents of the Anaocha Local Government Area.
In a statement released on Friday, Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed that the suspect was apprehended by local community leaders, including the President-General of the affected area, and has since been handed over to the police for further investigation.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted that the video was fabricated. Investigations revealed that he had filmed the footage from a private residence and was nowhere near the location he described in his commentary. He confessed to creating the false narrative based on hearsay and an opportunity to generate sensational content for social media attention.
Local authorities, including the community’s leadership, conducted a thorough search of the area to verify the claims. They confirmed that no helicopter had landed, noting that while an aircraft had flown over the region as is common in the area the claims of suspicious activity were entirely baseless.
The police command emphasized that such misinformation undermines public safety and creates unnecessary alarm. They urged the public to verify security-related reports with official authorities before sharing them online to avoid fueling public anxiety.
