Viral video of bandit arrested in military uniform, misleading

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Abdulsalam Baba Mahmud

Claim: A Facebook page, 9News Nigeria, shared a video alleging that a “Fulani bandit in a fake military uniform” was arrested in Osogbo, Osun State. 

Verdict: Misleading! Although the video shows a genuine arrest in Osogbo, the Osun State Police Command told DUBAWA the suspect suffers from a mental disorder and is not a bandit as claimed.

Full Text

Amid the security concerns in different parts of the country and subsequent chaos caused by peddlers of fake news, a 54-second video went viral on social media claiming that a Fulani bandit in a fake military uniform was arrested in Osogbo, Osun State.

A Facebook page, 9News Nigeria, shared the video with the caption: “Video: Suspected Fulani Bandit in Fake Military Uniform Apprehended in Osogbo.” 

Other blogs also shared the claim on other platforms such as Lagos Reporters on Instagram, Glow 99.1 FM Akure on Facebook, and other Facebook users.

The comment sections of these posts show that some people believe the claim, hailing the security operatives who supposedly arrested the suspect and calling for a proper investigation. However, another segment of the comments doubted the claim, asking for proof that the young man is truly a criminal.

For instance, Sorinmade Kayode called for the instant execution of the suspect; he wrote, “Kill him straight.”

Another user, Bello Shehu, said, “Be honest, fake allegation that can’t be proved beyond a reasonable doubt…” while Amusayin Joseph quipped, “How true is this?”

Due to the insecurity challenge in the country and the resultant effect of false security news on members of the public, DUBAWA fact-checked the claim.

Verification

DUBAWA reviewed the viral video and found that it showed a group of people by the roadside dragging a young man. We also observed security operatives in the crowd.

In the footage, a woman can be heard repeatedly shouting, “Bandit in Osogbo with fake soldier uniform.” However, beyond the woman’s narration, the video itself does not provide evidence establishing the man’s identity as a bandit.

To verify the footage, DUBAWA extracted keyframes from the video and submitted them to reverse-image search engines.

The searches did not return any verified or traceable matching source capable of independently establishing the suspect’s identity or confirming the narrative attached to the video. 

Meanwhile, DUBAWA found several reports concerning the incident. News outlets such as People’s Gazette, Daily Post, and Punch reported that the Osun State Police Command arrested a man over an alleged false claim of a bandit invasion.

Daily Sun, however, reported that a “suspected bandit” arrested in Osogbo was under investigation.

For clarity, DUBAWA contacted the Osun State Police Command, and the police shared their release on the issue. In the press statement dated June 8, 2026, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that the police had concluded their investigations. 

They noted their investigators recovered a knife, an army camouflage pair of trousers, local charms, and other clothing materials from the suspect.

However, the police said that further investigation revealed the suspect’s identity to be 38-year-old Adebayo Sunday. The Command noted that the suspect exhibited signs of mental instability during interrogation, adding that he had a history of mental illness. Detectives subsequently contacted a native doctor who reportedly confirmed that he had treated the suspect for a mental-related condition more than ten years earlier.

The police added that the suspect was taken to the Police Clinic and later referred to a psychiatric hospital for further medical evaluation and treatment.

Notably, the police statement did not identify the suspect as a Fulani man, nor did it provide evidence linking Adebayo to any banditry activity. The suspect is said to suffer from mental disorders.

Conclusion

The claim that the viral video shows a Fulani bandit in a fake military uniform arrested in Osogbo is misleading. While the video depicts a genuine arrest in Osogbo, available evidence does not support the assertion that the suspect is a Fulani or a bandit.