The Oyo State Police Command has debunked false allegations of mass movement of terrorists into Ogbomoso and warned against spread of fake news.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka in a statement on Wednesday, stressed the need to address and clarify a video and accompanying voice note currently circulating across various social media platforms alleging the movement and infiltration of suspected Lukarawa terrorists into forests around Ogbomoso and the Old Oyo National Park.
The Command rejected and dismissed the claims contained in the said video and voice note as false, misleading, and entirely without factual basis.
According to him, comprehensive intelligence assessments and security reports available to the Command did not support nor suggest the existence of any such terrorist movement or infiltration within the areas mentioned.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the video being circulated was not recent.
Rather, he said it was an old video that had been in circulation for some time and is being deliberately recycled and misrepresented to create fear, panic, and apprehension among residents of Oyo State.
The Command, therefore urged members of the public to refrain from sharing unverified security-related content and to always seek confirmation from official sources before disseminating such information.
“Notwithstanding the falsity of the report, the Oyo State Police Command remains proactive and resolute in its commitment to the safety and security of all residents of the State.
“Consequently, intelligence and covert operatives have been strategically deployed to border communities and other vulnerable locations within the affected axis to further strengthen the robust security architecture and early warning mechanisms already in place.
“The deployed operatives are working in close synergy with existing local security structures, community-based intelligence networks, traditional institutions, hunters, vigilante groups, and other critical stakeholders to ensure enhanced intelligence gathering, prompt information sharing, and swift response to any emerging security concerns”, he said.
According to him, the Command has significantly increased visibility policing, confidence-building patrols, intelligence-led stop-and-search operations, and strategic deployments across Ogbomoso, the Old Oyo National Park axis, and adjoining border communities.
