Ogun, other states wage war against fake news, as content creators spread terror
Insecurity Fuels Digital Panic in Ogun State
As insecurity continues to plague Nigeria, Ogun State confronts a troubling new dimension of terror—not from armed bandits but from content creators leveraging social media. The spread of fabricated WhatsApp voice notes, misleading videos, and other false narratives is sowing discord and inciting public fear.
A recent investigation by Gift Oba reveals how the quest for online notoriety is undermining community safety and landing offenders behind bars.
A Tailor’s False Narration
On May 18, 2026, 25-year-old Kowiu Oloyede, a tailor from the Atan area of the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, transformed from an everyday citizen into a source of public panic. Armed only with a smartphone, he fabricated a video claiming that armed bandits were invading his neighborhood. Posted on his TikTok account, the video depicted him in a bush amid sound effects mimicking gunfire. The caption urged, “Bandit is in Atan, help us ooo.” The clip quickly went viral.
What Oloyede intended as a prank soon escalated into a significant safety concern. His desperate bid for digital clout rapidly translated into over 291,000 views and thousands of likes, empowering him to post a second video feigning a kidnapping scenario. Though he deleted it within 24 hours, the damage to public trust had already occurred. Oloyede is now in police custody and faces charges under the Cybercrimes Act for spreading false information.
Ongoing Crisis of Misinformation
Oloyede’s case exemplifies a wider, structural crisis as social media becomes a vehicle for misinformation amid ongoing security concerns. On June 2, panic spread through the Ota and Ifo areas when unverified WhatsApp messages suggested that armed bandits were targeting local secondary schools. Parents abandoned their businesses to withdraw their children from school.
In response, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, issued an emergency statement affirming that the locations mentioned were secure. He urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information.
Yet, just a day later, police arrested another individual, Johnson Elleh, for disseminating a deceptive security alert about kidnapping activities along the Owode-Idiroko axis. Similar to Oloyede, Elleh admitted that his claims were fabricated for attention.
Viral Panic Across the State
False narratives continued to flood the region. For instance, a viral message claiming an imminent 9:00 PM curfew on May 23 caused considerable alarm in Ogun, Lagos, and Oyo states. DSP Babaseyi described the message as misleading and requested residents ignore such unfounded reports.
In April, two separate voice notes circulated, warning that bandits had moved to the Lusada region of the Ado-Odo Local Government. An Islamic cleric’s message in Yoruba and an English translation incited fear. To combat the misinformation, Police Commissioner Bode Ojajuni deployed personnel to address residents’ concerns.
Also, a viral drone video was mistakenly identified as depicting a kidnapper’s hideout in Ogun. The footage was confirmed to be from Kenya and dated back to a 2022 operation involving cattle rustlers, illustrating the ongoing spread of recycled content aimed at inducing hysteria.
Government and Police Response
The Ogun State Government has dismissed reports alleging terrorist threats, asserting that the state remains secure. In a statement, Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, noted that the arrest of those spreading false information aims to deter future incidents of panic generation.
“This behavior is irresponsible and unnecessarily heightens anxiety among residents,” Akinmade said. He emphasized the government’s commitment to safety and its collaboration with law enforcement agencies to enhance community security.
Legal Implications of Misinformation
The Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression; however, the Cybercrimes Act criminalizes the transmission of false messages that cause public panic. Offenders may face fines up to seven million Naira or imprisonment for up to three years.
Dr. Kayode Akinsola, a constitutional lawyer, cautioned that while Nigerians can express their opinions, this right is not absolute, especially regarding misinformation that threatens public safety.
Conclusion
As authorities work to mitigate the spread of false information, they remind the public that safety should not be exploited for online popularity. The Ogun State Police has reiterated its commitment to combatting misinformation and ensuring public confidence in community safety. The command continues to encourage residents to rely on official channels for accurate information and to report suspicious activities without fear.
