The Edo State Police Command has arrested and charged a 24-year-old woman, Osarobo Omoyemen, after investigators concluded that she falsely announced her own kidnapping in a TikTok video.
Omoyemen had claimed she was abducted along Upper Sakponba Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area and later rescued by the Police.
She also alleged that she was detained at Akpata Police Station and compelled to pay N10,000 before being released.
Police spokesman Moses Yamu said the claims were found to be untrue. According to him, the suspect staged the episode to draw attention to her social media account.
“During interrogation, Omoyemen confessed that she staged the incident solely to generate online content and attract followers to her TikTok page,” he said.
Yamu added that investigators traced an earlier deleted video in which a voice in the background urged viewers to follow her page, suggesting coordination with others.
He said the content was “capable of inciting hostility against the Police and triggering unnecessary tension within the state.”
The Police said efforts are underway to locate her accomplices. Omoyemen has been charged in court on allegations of circulating false information.
“It was also discovered that she deleted an earlier video in which an accomplice in the background was appealing to viewers to follow her page, clearly exposing the motive behind the false alarm,” the police said. “The content was not only misleading but capable of inciting hostility against the Police and triggering unnecessary tension within the state.
“Efforts are ongoing to arrest her accomplices to ensure they face the full weight of the law. This action is intended to serve as a deterrent to others who may attempt to misuse social media to create panic or disrupt public peace.”
Lagos denies escalating kidnapping
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has dismissed a viral message claiming an increase in kidnappings along the Gbagada Expressway. The flyer, which circulated on social media, suggested that abductions were being carried out through a “one-chance” method using commercial buses and appeared to originate from the state government.
In a statement posted on his official X account, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, described the alert as false and recycled misinformation.
“Good morning Lagos, please beware of this fake news circulating again. We have addressed it before, but those spreading false information continue to recycle it. Kindly disregard this notification,” he wrote.
Akosile urged residents to share only verified information and stressed the importance of vigilance in maintaining community safety. The Lagos State Police Command had previously debunked similar advisories, noting that such messages first appeared in January 2024 and had resurfaced periodically, most recently in March.
Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh stated that the command had noted public concerns despite the falsity of the alert. He directed Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders to review security arrangements along the expressway to prevent potential threats.
“Residents should continue with their activities without fear,” he said, adding that security measures would be continuously assessed to ensure commuter safety.
The police also warned that individuals responsible for circulating false alerts would face prosecution. Members of the public were advised to report any suspicious activity to nearby police stations or through the command’s control room on 08065154338, 08063299264, or 09129229576.
