The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a pastor and a woman for allegedly circulating a false alarm claiming that armed bandits invaded Lamini Community in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State and killed six residents—an incident the police say never occurred.
The suspects, identified as Pastor Amos Joel Muyiwa and one Mulikat Bashiru, were accused of originating and spreading a viral voice note that triggered widespread panic, heightened tension, and renewed fears of insecurity across affected communities.
Police authorities said the false report, which rapidly circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, falsely alleged a deadly invasion of Lamini community by bandits, a claim that prompted emergency security deployment and public anxiety.
In a statement issued on Monday, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said preliminary investigations revealed that the allegation was entirely fabricated.
According to the command, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, ordered a full-scale investigation after the voice note went viral and caused panic among residents.
Tactical teams and patrol units were immediately deployed to Lamini and adjoining communities to verify the claim and restore calm. The police said on-the-spot assessments confirmed that no such attack took place and no casualties were recorded in the area.
“Following a thorough assessment and on-the-ground verification, it was conclusively established that the purported bandit invasion and killing of six persons never occurred,” the statement said.
Investigators from the State Intelligence Department (SID) later traced the voice note to Pastor Muyiwa, who was subsequently arrested and interrogated. Police said he admitted to creating and circulating the message without verifying its authenticity.
Further investigations reportedly led to the arrest of Mulikat Bashiru, who was said to have raised the initial alarm within the community before it escalated into a viral security scare.
The command said both suspects are currently cooperating with investigators as efforts continue to determine the full circumstances behind the incident and whether other persons were involved in spreading the false narrative.
Security sources described the development as part of a growing pattern of misinformation-driven panic in the state, particularly at a time when Oyo is grappling with heightened insecurity concerns.
The incident comes against the backdrop of recent abductions in parts of the state, including the kidnapping of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, which has continued to generate public outrage and anxiety.
The affected schools include Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele and Yawota communities, where armed attackers abducted dozens of pupils and staff members.
During rescue efforts, a teacher, a motorcyclist, and a security operative were killed, deepening concerns over the worsening security situation.
Following the attack, President Bola Tinubu dispatched a high-powered federal delegation led by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to assess the situation and coordinate response measures.
The Federal Government also approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State and intensified rescue operations aimed at securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
The police warned that the spread of fake security alerts poses serious threats to public safety, noting that misinformation can trigger mass panic, undermine confidence in security agencies, and distract operational response teams from genuine emergencies.
“Misinformation and disinformation do not merely mislead the public; they constitute a direct attack on our collective resolve to build a secure and peaceful society,” the command warned.
Residents were urged to verify security-related information from official channels and report suspicious incidents through designated emergency lines rather than circulating unverified claims on social media.
The command further cautioned that individuals found culpable of spreading false information capable of causing public disorder would be prosecuted under existing laws.
