The Oyo State Police Command has dismissed a viral video alleging that about 300 members of the Lakurawa terrorist group were moving into the state, describing the content as false, misleading, and deliberately circulated to cause panic among residents.
In a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, the police said a comprehensive forensic analysis and intelligence-based verification confirmed that the claims contained in the video were unfounded.
According to the Command, the voice overlay in the clip, allegedly attributed to one Alhaji Muftau from Kontagora, was linked to a previously investigated and debunked false alarm.
It added that further intelligence from operatives deployed across border communities showed no evidence of any terrorist movement into the state.
The police also disclosed that a joint verification exercise conducted in collaboration with neighbouring state commands independently confirmed that the information was false.
Investigations, it said, further revealed that the video was neither recorded in Nigeria nor is it recent, reinforcing the conclusion that it was designed to mislead the public.
The Command cautioned individuals and groups against the spread of misinformation, warning that anyone found guilty of disseminating false information capable of inciting panic or disrupting public peace would be made to face the full weight of the law.
Reaffirming its commitment to maintaining security across the state, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, said the Command remains resolute in protecting lives and property while sustaining recent gains in public safety.
He urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and to rely strictly on verified official channels for security-related information.
