By Samuel Oyadongha
YENAGOA — The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Promise Etete, for allegedly originating and circulating false information about a bandit attack that sparked panic in parts of the state.
Speaking at a press briefing in Yenagoa on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Iyamah Daniel Edebor, said the viral social media post, circulated on June 5, 2026, falsely claimed that bandits had infiltrated parts of Bayelsa State and were being held by militants demanding ransom.
According to the police commissioner, the report created widespread fear among residents, prompting many parents to rush to schools to pick up their children, while commercial activities were temporarily disrupted in affected areas.
“The command immediately deployed operational and intelligence assets to verify the claims and discovered that the information was entirely false and without any factual basis,” Edebor said.
