The Ogun State Police Command has warned the public against circulating an old viral video purportedly showing a kidnapping incident involving a Toyota Sienna along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The footage, which shows an unidentified man in blue traditional attire allegedly shot in the head while other passengers were abducted, also carries a background voice-over accusing members of an ethnic group of carrying out the attack.

Reacting to the video in a statement yesterday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, said the incident was neither recent nor did it occur in Ogun State. She explained that investigations revealed it happened in 2022 along the Ogun–Oyo boundary axis of the expressway.

“This has been further confirmed by the Oyo State Police Command,” she said. Odutola cautioned the public against spreading “outdated and misleading information, particularly aimed at inciting ethnic tension, promoting misinformation, intolerance, and discrimination,” stressing that those found guilty would face the law.

She added that the police, working with other security agencies, had curtailed the activities of kidnappers in the region, with many offenders arrested, prosecuted, and convicted. According to her, security along highways has also been reinforced through the establishment of makeshift tents, the deployment of Armoured Personnel Carriers, and increased police visibility to ensure rapid response to emergencies.

“The public is encouraged to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding, while disregarding misinformation intended to cause fear and division,” she said.