A commercial motorcyclist has been beaten to death in Lagos after a mob, acting on viral social media posts falsely claiming armed bandits had invaded nearby communities, wrongly identified him as one of the attackers.
The victim, Kulaha Ayuba, 24, was labelled a Fulani bandit by youths who had seen the unverified posts.
He was fatally assaulted, his motorcycle stolen, and his body later discovered in a swamp within the community.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the killing on Monday while debunking the invasion claims entirely.
In a statement, police spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi said the viral posts were false, misleading, and deliberately designed to incite fear among residents, adding that there was no security threat, invasion, or coordinated attack on schools and communities anywhere in Lagos State.
The false alarm had spread across social media over the weekend, with posts claiming armed bandits were targeting schools and children in Ibeju-Lekki, Imota, Oke-Afo, and other parts of the state.
Parents reportedly pulled children out of schools, and residents in several communities panicked.
Fifteen suspects have been arrested in connection with Ayuba's killing and are currently being investigated. Authorities say anyone found culpable will face prosecution.
The police also warned that the reach of the law would extend beyond the mob itself.
The Command said individuals found responsible for originating, publishing, or deliberately circulating false and inciting information would be investigated and prosecuted.
In a related development in Ogun State, police also debunked a viral video purportedly showing the arrest of suspected kidnappers in the Simawa area, clarifying that the individuals were, in fact, serving police officers who were mistakenly identified as criminals and had to be rescued from an agitated crowd.
The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, urged Lagos residents to verify security information through official channels before acting on it or passing it on.
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