Police arrest student over fake terrorist invasion report in Bayelsa

The Bayelsa state police command has apprehended a university student for allegedly creating and circulating a false report of a terrorist invasion that sparked panic and disrupted normal activities in parts of the state.

Daniel Iyamah, the state commissioner of police announced the arrest while briefing journalists in Yenagoa on Friday.

He said the fabricated report, which first appeared on social media on June 5, falsely claimed that armed bandits had entered Bayelsa communities and were being detained by militants demanding a ₦50 million ransom.

According to the police chief, the viral post caused widespread anxiety, particularly in Polaku community and neighbouring areas, where frightened parents rushed to withdraw their children from school and businesses temporarily shut down over fears of an imminent attack.

Iyamah said the command immediately activated its operational and intelligence units to verify the claims. After conducting field assessments and gathering intelligence, investigators confirmed that no bandit invasion or related security threat had occurred.

He identified the suspect as 23-year-old Promise Etete, a 300-level student of the University of Uyo from Akwa Ibom State.

The commissioner said detectives tracked and arrested the suspect through intelligence-led policing, digital forensics and technical surveillance. He added that the suspect is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, where he has made statements aiding the investigation.

Warning against the reckless use of social media, Iyamah stressed that those who deliberately spread false security information would be held accountable under the law.

He urged residents to verify security-related information through credible channels before sharing it, reiterating that there was no bandit invasion, no attack on schools and no threat to public safety in Bayelsa as claimed in the misleading report.

The police command also announced the arrest of another suspect over an attempted murder in Okodi Community.

According to Iyamah, the suspect, Ibobuminaten Oweifa, allegedly accused one Godgift Biko of stealing planks, tied him up with wire and set him ablaze with petrol before fleeing.

He said officers swiftly arrested the suspect, while the victim was rescued and taken to a medical facility for treatment.

The commissioner condemned jungle justice and all forms of violence, assuring residents that both investigations would be concluded and the suspects prosecuted in accordance with the law.