Police nab 22-year-old for spreading false bandit invasion rumors in Osun

Osun State Police have apprehended a 22-year-old man accused of disseminating false information about a bandit invasion within the state. The arrest was made following the suspect's use of social media to spread misleading content, an act that violates Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.

The suspect allegedly published a video on his Facebook account on Monday, falsely asserting that bandits had entered the state. This post reportedly triggered widespread panic among the local population. Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the video actually depicted members of the public restraining an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, not a bandit attack.

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The footage shared by the suspect actually showed members of the public restraining an individual with a mental illness.

Although the suspect was arrested on Wednesday, he was later released after his parents made a passionate appeal. The spokesperson for the command stated that the young man has since issued a public apology and received a warning against repeating such actions. The Osun Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, cautioned the public against spreading unverified information that could incite fear or disturb public peace, emphasizing the command's strict stance on the misuse of digital platforms for harmful falsehoods.

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The Osun Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, cautioned the public against spreading unverified information capable of inciting fear or disrupting public peace. He reiterated the command’s zero-tolerance stance on the misuse of digital platforms to circulate harmful falsehoods.