TikTok Creator Faces Court After Fabricating Kidnapping Story
The Edo State Police Command has taken legal action against a 24-year-old social media content creator, Osarobo Omoyemen, for allegedly staging her own abduction to generate online attention. The incident, which occurred in November 2025, has drawn widespread condemnation from law enforcement authorities.
According to police reports, Omoyemen created and shared a TikTok video where she falsely claimed to have been kidnapped along Upper Sakponba Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area. In her fabricated story, she alleged that police later rescued her and that she was detained at Akpata Police Station, where she was forced to pay N10,000 before being released.
Police Investigation Reveals the Truth
Police spokesman Moses Yamu stated that during thorough investigation, officers discovered the claims were completely false. "During interrogation, Omoyemen confessed that she staged the incident solely to generate online content and attract followers to her TikTok page," Yamu revealed.
Investigators uncovered even more disturbing evidence when they traced an earlier deleted video. In this footage, a voice could be heard in the background explicitly urging viewers to follow Omoyemen's page, indicating coordination with accomplices. The police have confirmed they are actively working to identify and locate these individuals.
The content was capable of inciting hostility against the Police and triggering unnecessary tension within the state, Yamu emphasized, highlighting the potential consequences of such false alarms.
Legal Consequences and Ongoing Investigation
Omoyemen has now been formally charged in court with circulating false information. The police have made it clear that this prosecution is intended to serve as a deterrent to others who might consider misusing social media platforms to create panic or disrupt public peace.
"It was also discovered that she deleted an earlier video in which an accomplice in the background was appealing to viewers to follow her page, clearly exposing the motive behind the false alarm," the police statement detailed.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to pursuing all individuals involved in this scheme, noting that efforts are ongoing to arrest her accomplices to ensure they face the full weight of the law.
Lagos Government Addresses Separate Kidnapping Rumors
In a related development, the Lagos State Government has moved to dismiss viral messages claiming an escalation of kidnappings along the Gbagada Expressway. The circulating flyer, which appeared to originate from official state channels, suggested that abductions were being carried out through "one-chance" methods using commercial buses.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, took to his official X account to label the alert as false and recycled misinformation. "Good morning Lagos, please beware of this fake news circulating again. We have addressed it before, but those spreading false information continue to recycle it. Kindly disregard this notification," he wrote.
Akosile urged residents to exercise caution and share only verified information, stressing the importance of collective vigilance in maintaining community safety.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed that similar advisories had been debunked previously, noting that such messages first appeared in January 2024 and had resurfaced periodically, most recently in March of the same year.
Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh acknowledged public concerns despite the falsity of the alert and has directed Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders to review security arrangements along the expressway as a precautionary measure.
"Residents should continue with their activities without fear," Jimoh assured, adding that security measures would be continuously assessed to ensure commuter safety.
The police have warned that individuals responsible for circulating false alerts would face prosecution and advised members of the public to report any suspicious activity to nearby police stations or through the command's emergency numbers:
- 08065154338
- 08063299264
- 09129229576
