Osun Police Threaten Legal Action Over False Bandit Invasion Report
The Osun State Police Command has warned that it may take legal action against an X user identified as @AdejokeAder over a social media post claiming that bandits had invaded parts of the state.
The command described the report as false and misleading, saying it had the potential to create panic and disturb public peace.
In a statement issued on Friday, the police said investigations revealed that claims of a bandit invasion in the Inisa and Oyan communities were unfounded.
According to the command, the social media post falsely suggested that armed bandits had attacked the affected areas, triggering fear among residents.
“Our attention was drawn to a misleading tweet alleging a bandit invasion in Inisa and Oyan. Findings from our investigations show that the claim is false and capable of causing unnecessary panic and public unrest,” the statement said.
The police warned that the user could face prosecution unless she publicly retracts the claim and makes herself available to authorities for questioning.
The command stressed that spreading unverified security information could have serious consequences, especially when it affects public confidence and safety.
In response, the X user said she had already deleted the original post and published a correction shortly afterwards.
The controversy follows widespread panic that spread across several communities in Osun State earlier in the week after rumours of a possible bandit attack circulated online and through informal channels.
The rumours reportedly forced several public and private schools in local government areas including Ila, Odo Otin, Boripe, Osogbo and Olorunda to close temporarily.
In Osogbo and other affected communities, worried parents rushed to schools to pick up their children before the end of the school day due to fears of an impending attack.
Further investigations later traced the rumours to reports from the Ila-Orangun area, where claims emerged that a schoolgirl had been abducted along Oyan Road.
However, local sources later confirmed that the girl had not been kidnapped but had gone into hiding to avoid attending school.
The police have urged residents to remain calm and rely only on information from official and credible sources, warning that false security alerts can cause unnecessary fear, disrupt daily activities and undermine public confidence.
