Elections: Police Warn Fake News Purveyors, Reassure Electorate of Optimal Security

Sunday Ehigiator

The Lagos State Police Command has warned fake news purveyors and other mischief makers to desist from such act, saying it was capable of causing the breakdown of law and order in the state.

Reacting to some provocative contents and hate videos against Igbos living in Lagos State, which circulated on various social media yesterday, the state’s police Spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin in a statement said, the force was, “aware of malicious, inciting, provocative and seditious contents being circulated all over the social media with the intent to cause panic, disharmony and unrest within Lagos State.”

He added: “While the Command has begun investigating this scaremongering with a view to apprehending and prosecuting those found culpable, the good people and residents of Lagos State are urged to disregard all forms of messages, especially on social media depicting fictitious, fallacious and preposterous claims aimed at jeopardising the peace currently being enjoyed in the state.

“As the second phase of elections approaches, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa, once again assures the electorate that the Command has fully deployed its human and operational resources in conjunction with sister security agencies to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

“Voters are therefore encouraged to come out to exercise their franchise and not succumb to the panic tactics of a few unpatriotic elements masquerading as concerned and well-intentioned Nigerians on social media.”

He added that it was, “equally imperative to warn against mischief around the polling units and collation centres and beyond, as anyone found culpable will be promptly arrested and dealt with under the law.

“Meanwhile, Lagosians are enjoined to call the police should they notice any untoward happening around them on any of the following emergency numbers: 08127155132, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870.”