Police arrest suspect over fake Abuja attack video
The police in the FCT had earlier dismissed the video as fake, misleading and deliberately designed to incite panic among residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued on Friday, the Force spokesperson Anthony Placid said there was no record of any such attack in the nation’s capital, stressing that the claims circulating online were “entirely false, misleading, and malicious.”
The police further disclosed that a suspect, identified as Pam Joseph, has been arrested in connection with the creation and dissemination of the video.
The video, which features a selfie of a young man in what appears to be a developing area, is accompanied by gunfire.
The arrest, the police said, followed credible intelligence and digital forensic investigations linking the suspect to the origin and spread of the content.
“The Force reiterates that while citizens have the right to freedom of expression, such rights do not extend to the deliberate spread of misinformation capable of threatening public peace and national security,” the statement read.
Police, however, warned the public against sharing unverified information, urging citizens to exercise caution and responsibility on digital platforms to avoid causing unnecessary fear or disorder.
The suspect remains in custody and is expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
