Police Arrest UniUyo Student Over Fake Bandit Alert

The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old University of Uyo (UniUyo) student for allegedly originating and circulating a false social media report claiming that bandits had invaded parts of Bayelsa State and attacked schools, causing widespread panic among residents.

Global Mirror News learnt that the Commissioner of Police, CP Iyamah Edebor, identified the suspect as Promise Etete, a 300-level undergraduate, saying his actions sparked unnecessary fear across several communities after the misleading report went viral on June 5, 2026.

According to the Police Commissioner, the fabricated post alleged that armed bandits had infiltrated Bayelsa while militants had captured the suspects and were demanding ransom for their release. The report spread rapidly online, prompting many parents to rush to schools to pick up their children, while businesses and other activities were briefly disrupted.

CP Edebor said the command immediately deployed operational and intelligence teams across the state to verify the claims. Following extensive field assessments and intelligence gathering, officers confirmed that the report was entirely false, with no evidence of any bandit invasion, school attack or security breach anywhere in Bayelsa.

He disclosed that detectives later identified and arrested the suspect through intelligence-led policing, digital forensics and technical tracking.

Global Mirror News gathered that the suspect is currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where he is assisting investigators with useful information ahead of possible prosecution.

The Commissioner warned social media users against spreading false security information, stressing that cyberspace is not beyond the reach of law enforcement agencies. He urged residents to verify security-related reports through credible and official sources before sharing them.

Reassuring the public, CP Edebor maintained that Bayelsa remains safe and that there was never any bandit invasion or attack on schools as claimed in the viral post.