Police debunk video claiming 300 Lakurawa terrorists entered Oyo

The Oyo State Police Command has officially refuted a widely circulated video that alleged the movement of around 300 "Lakurawa terrorists" into the state. Authorities have described the video as false, misleading, and intentionally created to instill fear and panic among the public.

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The Oyo State Police Command, following a comprehensive forensic analysis and intelligence-based verification, has confirmed that the viral video alleging the movement of about 300 Lakurawa terrorists into Oyo State is false, misleading, and deliberately crafted to cause fear, panic, and heightened tension among members of the public.

In a statement released on Sunday, the state's Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, detailed the command's findings. A thorough forensic analysis and intelligence-based verification confirmed the video's claims to be unfounded. The police noted that the voice overlay in the video, purportedly from an individual named Alhaji Muftau from Kontagora, matched previous false information that the command had already investigated and debunked.

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Building on this discovery, further intelligence gathered from operatives deployed across border communities, supported by the Command’s strengthened early warning and response mechanisms, found no evidence to support the claim contained in the video.

Further intelligence gathered from operatives stationed in border communities, bolstered by early warning and response mechanisms, revealed no evidence to corroborate the video's assertions. A joint verification process conducted with neighboring police formations independently confirmed that the information was entirely baseless. The police also established through their investigations that the video was neither filmed in Nigeria nor is it a recent recording, reinforcing the conclusion that its circulation was intended to mislead the public.

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In addition to these findings, a joint verification process maintained in collaboration with neighbouring Police Commands independently confirmed that the information is entirely unfounded.

This debunking comes weeks after a concerning incident where terrorists attacked three schools in Oyo State, kidnapping over 40 teachers and students. That event had heightened concerns about the potential expansion of terrorist activities from northern regions into southwestern states. The police command issued a stern warning against the deliberate spread of misinformation that could undermine public peace and security, vowing to prosecute offenders.

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Investigations also established that the video currently in circulation was neither recorded in Nigeria nor is it a recent occurrence, further reinforcing the conclusion that the content was designed to mislead the public.