The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man accused of producing and sharing a fake bandit attack video on TikTok in a bid to attract followers online.
The incident reportedly came to light on May 23 after a resident, Ayinla Sodiq of Obasanjo Ota, visited a police station with the suspect, identified as Qowiy Oloyede of Oriya Sokoto Road, Atan Ota.
According to reports, the complainant accused Oloyede of posting a misleading video that falsely claimed bandits had attacked the Atan Ota area.
A counterinsurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, reported that the divisional police officer questioned the suspect shortly after the complaint was lodged.
The suspect was said to have admitted during interrogation that he fabricated the content to attract attention and increase his follower count on social media.
In a video that later surfaced online, the suspect appeared kneeling while a man in police uniform questioned him over the clip.
During the interrogation, he allegedly confessed that the video was created to help him trend on TikTok.
The suspect also explained that the herder seen in the footage was a cattle rearer who usually grazed cows behind his shop. He claimed the man initially declined to appear in the video before later agreeing.
He further stated that he could not read or write, adding that his apprentice wrote the caption attached to the video before it was uploaded online.
According to the report, the suspect admitted he had shared two similar videos in the past, one on Monday and another on Wednesday.
Police authorities were also said to have recovered photographs and video materials linked to the alleged false publication during preliminary investigations.
The report added that the suspect may be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Abeokuta for further investigation.
Police also cautioned residents against spreading unverified information capable of creating fear and public unrest. Authorities urged members of the public to confirm information before posting or sharing content on social media platforms.
