The Ogun State Police Command has officially “refuted and dismissed” a viral social media video claiming to show the “presence and operations of armed bandits” within a forest in the state, describing the footage as “completely false, misleading, and recycled.” In a formal press statement issued on Sunday, April 26, 2026, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, maintained that the video which shows a group of armed men cooking in a bushy setting did not originate from “Ogun State or any part of Nigeria.” The Command argued that the “deliberate recirculation of the clip” is a “malicious attempt” to “create unnecessary panic” and “undermine the public’s confidence” in the “security architecture of the state.“
The “police debunking” follows an “intensive fact-check and digital forensic analysis” of the video that had “caused widespread anxiety” among “commuters and residents” in the “Abeokuta-Lagos and Sagamu corridors.” Supporting context from the Command indicates that the “recycled footage” actually originated from a “security operation in Kenya” in 2022, involving “cattle rustlers,” and was “originally captured by a General Service Unit drone.” The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, maintained that “there is no intelligence or operational report” to support the claim of “any such criminal camp” within the state’s forests. The police argued that “Ogun remains one of the safest states in the country,” asserting that “sustained aerial and ground surveillance” have “kept criminal elements at bay.“
Stakeholder reactions to the “Bandit Video Debunk” have been “marked by a mix of relief and a call for caution” regarding “social media consumption.” The “Ogun State Community Security Advisory Council” has “lauded the police for their quick response,” noting that “fake news is a ‘secondary security threat’ that ‘stretches limited resources’.” They maintained that “citizens must be ‘digitally literate'” and “avoid sharing unverified content” that “plays into the hands of ‘mischief makers’.” Conversely, some “community leaders” in “boundary towns” have urged the “police” to “not let their guard down,” arguing that while “this specific video is fake,” the “threat of ‘kidnapping and banditry’ requires ‘perpetual vigilance’.” They maintained that “constant forest patrols” are the “only antidote” to “rumors and real threats.“
Security and communication analysts observe that “the ‘Recycled Video’ phenomenon” is a “major challenge” for “modern policing in Nigeria.” Experts suggest that “criminal elements or ‘political actors'” often “weaponize old footage” to “create an ‘atmosphere of insecurity’.” They argue that “the Ogun Police Command’s ‘fact-based’ rebuttal” is a “global best practice” in “crisis communication.” Analyst Dr. Udeme Etuk noted that “Ojajuni is ‘fighting two wars’: one against ‘real criminals’ and another against ‘digital shadows’,” adding that “the speed of ‘the debunk’ prevented a ‘shutdown of socio-economic activities’ in the state.” He emphasized that “the government must ‘prosecute those who originate’ such ‘inciting content'” to “serve as a deterrent.“
The broader implications of this development point toward a “strengthening of the ‘Cyber-Intelligence Unit'” within the “Ogun State Police Command.” By “debunking the viral video,” the “police” have “re-established the ‘narrative control'” over the “security situation” in the state. This move is expected to lead to “increased collaboration” between the “police and ‘fact-checking organizations'” to “swiftly identify and neutralize ‘misinformation’.” As “residents return to their ‘normal activities’,” the focus remains on “the ‘physical presence’ of security operatives” on the “major highways” to “reinforce the sense of safety.” For the “social media user,” the “Ogun Police Statement” is a “stern warning” to “verify before you share” and a “reminder” that “the camera can be a ‘tool for deception’.“
