By Adesakin Adefemi
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old tailor, Qawiyu Oloyede, for producing and circulating a fabricated video of a bandit attack on social media.
Oloyede, a resident of Sokoto Road in Atan-Ota, was taken into custody after a video of him being interrogated by police officers went viral on Sunday. The clip showed the suspect admitting to staging the false incident to boost his online following.
According to the suspect, he filmed the fake attack using a Fulani herder who regularly grazed cattle behind his shop. He said the herder was reluctant to participate but was eventually persuaded to appear in the footage.
“I created the fake bandit attack and posted it on social media to gain followers,” Oloyede told investigators. “I don’t know how to even read and write. I didn’t go to school. It was my apprentice that wrote the accompanying message to the video.”
The suspect revealed that he had posted two such videos, one on Monday and another on Wednesday, both designed to create panic over a non-existent bandit invasion in the area.
Police said the content was deliberately crafted to heighten fear and anxiety among residents at a time when security concerns remain high in parts of the state.
Confirming the arrest, the Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said Oloyede’s case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“The suspect is with the SCID,” Babaseyi stated, noting that the command was committed to clamping down on the spread of misinformation that could destabilize public peace.
Authorities warned that creating and sharing fake security videos is a criminal offense under Nigerian law, and urged social media users to verify information before posting or resharing content online.
