The Ogun state police command has reportedly arrested a man for allegedly staging and sharing a fabricated bandit attack video on social media in a bid to gain followers.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency publication, the case was reported on May 23 after one Ayinla Sodiq from Obasanjo Ota lodged a complaint at a police station alongside the suspect identified as Qowiy Oloyede from Oriya Sokoto road, Atan Ota.
The complainant accused the suspect of creating and circulating a misleading TikTok video falsely claiming that bandits had attacked the Atan Ota community.
The publication reported that the divisional police officer (DPO) immediately interrogated the suspect, who allegedly confessed to fabricating the video purely to attract followers on social media.
In a viral clip circulating online, the suspect was seen kneeling while being questioned by a man dressed in police uniform.
He admitted that he created the fake bandit attack content to gain attention and grow his online presence.
He also claimed that the herder featured in the video was a cattle rearer who usually grazed cows behind his shop and initially refused to take part before later agreeing.
The suspect further stated that he is illiterate, adding that his apprentice wrote the caption used in posting the video online.
He said he had only produced and uploaded two similar videos, one on Monday and another on Wednesday.
Police authorities were said to have recovered both photographs and video evidence linked to the false publication during preliminary investigations.
The publication added that the suspect would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Abeokuta, for further investigation.
Authorities also warned residents against spreading false information capable of causing panic and disorder, urging the public to verify information before sharing content on social media.