The Ogun State Police Command has warned members of the public against reaching conclusions on rape allegations through social media before investigations are concluded or cases are determined by the courts.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, gave the warning in a statement on Tuesday while discussing the handling of rape allegations, the influence of social media on criminal investigations and the treatment of male victims of sexual violence.

Babaseyi said social media had increasingly become a platform where allegations were judged before police investigations were conducted, evidence examined and the facts tested in court.

He stressed that an allegation should not automatically be treated as a conviction, noting that rape was one of the most serious allegations a person could face and therefore required proper investigation.

According to him, social media posts, videos and screenshots should not be treated as conclusive evidence because viral content may be unverified, incomplete or lacking the necessary context.

He said police investigations involved receiving complaints, protecting complainants, identifying and interviewing relevant persons, preserving evidence, examining digital communications, considering medical or forensic evidence where available and assessing competing accounts.

Babaseyi also called for greater sensitivity towards male victims of sexual violence, saying their gender should not make their experiences less credible.

He noted that Nigeria has several legal frameworks covering sexual offences, including the Criminal Code, Penal Code and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, as well as applicable state laws.

The police spokesman said the applicable law depended on the jurisdiction and legislation in force, stressing that rape cases should be determined according to the law rather than hashtags, celebrity status or public sentiment.

He further warned that familiarity, relationships or previous consensual sexual encounters should never be interpreted as automatic consent to subsequent sexual activity.

Babaseyi urged Nigerians to take allegations seriously without automatically declaring accused persons guilty, saying victims deserved protection while suspects were also entitled to due process.

He called for a justice system in which victims could report sexual violence without being silenced, male victims would not be mocked and accused persons would not be convicted by strangers on social media.