Man Arrested After Viral Bandit Attack Claim Triggers Panic in Ekiti

(The Ekiti State Police Command. Photo Credit; Guardian Nigeria News)

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a man, Sunday Olawale, over allegedly spreading false information about a b@ndit att@ck on Are Ekiti in the Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that the suspect, who confessed to the crime, had been unable to provide a reason for spreading the false information, stressing that there was no b@ndit invasion in Are Ekiti or anywhere else in the state.

According to the statement, the Command’s Rapid Response Squad trailed and arrested Olawale on June 14, 2026, at the Ekute area of Ado Ekiti, over allegations of cyberstalking and disseminating false information capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.

The arrest followed a video that circulated on social media on June 12, claiming that b@ndits had invaded Are Ekiti, a claim that was later confirmed to be false.

During investigations, the suspect reportedly admitted to peddling the false information online but could not offer any satisfactory explanation for his action.

The State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, warned that the Command would not tolerate fake news or content capable of inciting public panic, and urged members of the public to always verify information before believing or sharing it on social media.