By ABIODUN LAWAL

The Ogun Police Command has described as false and misleading a viral video showing armed men allegedly operating in a forest in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, on Sunday in Abeokuta.

Babaseyi said the video did not originate from the state or anywhere in Nigeria.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the footage, showing individuals cooking in a bush setting, was recorded in Kenya during an operation against cattle rustlers and captured by a General Service Unit drone.

He added that further verification showed the footage was first uploaded online in 2022 and has since been deliberately recirculated with a false narrative.

The PPRO said the act was intended to create panic and misinform the public about the security situation in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bode Ojajuni, condemned the spread of unverified and misleading content, noting it could cause unnecessary fear and undermine public confidence in security agencies.

Ojajuni said there was no intelligence or operational report to support claims of criminal elements operating in forests or elsewhere in the state.

He reassured residents of the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property through intelligence-led policing, strategic deployments, and sustained vigilance.

The police commissioner advised the public to disregard the video and refrain from sharing unverified information that could incite panic or disrupt public peace.

“Residents should rely on official communication channels for credible security updates, remain law-abiding, and support the police with timely and useful information,” he said.

He also warned that the spread of false and inflammatory information would not be tolerated.(NAN)