The Nigeria Police Force has said that the recent circulation of a video on social media, where motorists at a traffic stop point were being harassed and robbed by armed individuals, purportedly depicting an incident that occurred in Abuja, Nigeria, is false and misleading.
The Force spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Thursday, April 25, said that after conducting a thorough digital forensics analysis, the NPF-National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) traced the incident to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The FPRO stated further that the video, which was originally posted by an individual from South Africa on April 22 on X social media platform, had the caption suggesting that it is dangerous to travel in Ethiopia without a handgun.
He said that it was reposted by some mischief makers who alleged that the incident happened in Abuja in order to misinform the public and thereby cause panic among residents in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs.
“This sent a wrong signal across the country which is counterproductive to our national safety and integrity.
“In response to this misinformation, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify the individual or group responsible for falsely claiming that the incident took place in Nigeria.
“Once identified, appropriate legal actions will be taken to sanction those involved.
“The Inspector General of Police hereby re-emphasizes the importance of accurate information dissemination and urges the public to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of videos and news circulating on social media platforms, as all forms of misleading contents can cause unnecessary fear and panic among the populace.
He also reiterated that the Police remains steadfast in combating all forms of misinformation and disinformation in its quest to ensuring public safety and security,” ACP Adejobi said.
