- The police expressed concerns over the deliberate spread of falsehoods, describing it as a threat to national stability, societal cohesion, and public trust.
- He urged Nigerians to exercise caution and responsibility in their use of information
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has taken a suspect, Destiny Ekhorutomuen, 38, into custody for allegedly posting provocative content.
At a press conference in Abuja, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, NPF spokesperson, revealed that Ekhorutomuen was apprehended in Uhunmwonde LGA of Edo on December 8, 2024.
Adejobi stated that the suspect allegedly managed multiple social media accounts to spread false information, aiming to tarnish the force’s reputation.
“There was a time when a video went viral saying the deputy commissioner of police was arrested or was sharing arms, giving arms to bandits in Kaduna, posted by a lecturer,” he said.
“And this Destiny Ekhorutomuen, that has just been arrested now, did the video, and started laying emphasis on this fake information, false information, fake news.
“He circulated the content, inciting members of the public against the government, against the police; attacking police institutions, which of course, this particular incident occurred in 2019.
“The unfortunate thing was that he made the video after the Nigeria Police Force has debunked the fake information.”
The NPF spokesperson emphasized that the police had repeatedly debunked false claims threatening national security, including one involving a deputy commissioner of police.
“We debunked the fake information last year, we did it in 2022, 2024, and we have done it again this year, when the particular video was recirculated, just to discredit the police and jeopardize our security arrangement in this country,” Adejobi said.
“Because if the caliber of the Deputy Commissioner of Police is so low as to give arms to bandits, you know it is a very terrible case and a very sensitive one indeed.
“The falsehood was spread enough for reasons known to those who are doing it, but for this particular suspect, it is a deliberate act to discredit the police, to malign the police, to rubbish the Nigerian government and heat up the polity.”
Adejobi reaffirmed the force’s commitment to zero tolerance for threats to national stability, noting that spreading falsehoods erodes public trust and poses significant security risks.
He warned that misusing social media to spread fake news or incite disorder is punishable and urged citizens to exercise caution.
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