The Lagos State Police Command has debunked a newspaper publication asserting that hundreds of Boko Haram suspects have been arrested in Lagos.
Following the publication, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, directed an immediate investigation into the report to ascertain the true position of the claim.
In a statement by the spokesman for the command, Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin, the outcome of the investigation revealed that there was nowhere throughout the State that the group mentioned in the report tagged “Boko Haram” was seen or sighted.
He explained that in the trailer park communities mentioned, the leaders, operators, and drivers in the indicated places in the report clarified to the police that there were no such elements of Boko Haram seen in those localities.
The Command said, notwithstanding, deployed surveillance police detectives, the State Intelligence Department (SID), and other formations of the Force to the mentioned places for the purpose of verification of the claim but no one confirmed the presence of such group as reported in the story throughout Lagos State.
According to Mr. Hundeyin, the report in its entirety is false, malicious, and ill-intended to cause fear and apprehension in the minds of the public.
While urging Lagosians to disregard and dis-countenance the write-up as untrue and a figment of the imagination of the writer, the command described the information as unfortunate, despicable and should be ignored.
He urged media professionals not to allow the use of their publications to incite fake news, and outright falsehood that can jeopardize the peace and tranquility being enjoyed in Lagos State.
He said members of the general public in Lagos State are encouraged by the Commissioner of Police to go about their duties and other means of livelihood without fear or apprehension.
