The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed as false a viral social media alert claiming that bandits were targeting schools and children in Ibeju-Lekki, Imota, Oke-Afo, and other parts of the state, warning that the hoax has already cost one man his life.
In a statement released Monday by Police Public Relations Officer SP Abimbola Adebisi, the Command described the circulating posts and accompanying graphic material as “false, misleading, unfounded, and intended to create unnecessary fear, panic, and apprehension among residents.”
Authorities say the false alarm triggered a fatal mob attack on Kulaha Ayuba, 24, a commercial motorcycle rider.
Community youths, acting on the unverified rumour that Fulani bandits had entered the area, allegedly identified him as one, attacked and killed him. His motorcycle was reportedly stolen, and his body was later found in a swamp within the community.
Following swift police intervention, 15 suspects have been arrested and are under investigation. The Command pledged that “all those found culpable will face the full weight of the law.”
The Command reassured residents that no invasion, security crisis, or coordinated attack has occurred in any school or community across Lagos State, and that schools remain safe.
Police and other security agencies, it said, are maintaining “adequate security presence and surveillance in all communities.”
Beyond the arrests linked to the killing, the Command warned that individuals found responsible for originating or deliberately circulating false and inciting information — content capable of triggering public alarm, ethnic tension, mob violence, or disorder — will be investigated and prosecuted under applicable laws.
The Command condemned what it called “deliberate dissemination of unverified information capable of causing chaos, inciting public disorder, and promoting ethnic profiling.”
Commissioner of Police CP Tijani Fatai urged residents to remain calm and continue their daily activities without fear. The public is encouraged to report suspicious activity through the nearest police station or official emergency channels, rather than acting on unverified social media content. #Securitynewsalert.com
