Panic Or Fake Alarm? Lagos Authorities React To Viral Bandits Attack Claims

The Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Police Command have dismissed circulating reports alleging that bandits attacked parts of Lagos State, including Eleko in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area and Imota.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Authorities described the claims as false and misleading, noting that they had triggered unnecessary panic among residents across the state.

According to reports, social media messages began spreading on Monday, alleging that armed attackers invaded communities in Eleko and stormed a primary school in Imota, where pupils were reportedly harmed.

The rumours quickly sparked widespread fear, with many parents rushing to schools to pick up their children as a safety precaution.

Some parents also said schools contacted them to evacuate pupils early following the viral claims, leading to confusion, early school closures, and increased movement across affected communities.

The panic was further fuelled during a live radio call-in programme, where some callers repeated similar allegations of a school attack in Imota.

However, the Executive Chairman of Imota Local Council Development Area later refuted the reports, stating that no such attack occurred and that there was no security alert or official confirmation supporting the claims.

He urged residents to disregard unverified information and rely only on credible sources for security updates.

A school head in Agbowa also clarified that the incident that caused alarm was an accident, not a bandit or armed attack.

The radio station involved later admitted that the information aired during the programme was not properly verified before broadcast. It issued an apology, explaining that it relied on caller submissions without confirmation from relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command also denied the reports, confirming that no bandit attack took place in Eleko or Imota.

Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the command would investigate the origin of the viral messages and videos circulating online, describing the claims as false.

“We will analyse the video and make a comment,” she said.