Osun Police React to Viral Video, Say Officers Were Not Fleeing From Drone

The Osun State Police Command has rejected a viral video purporting to show police officers running away from an unidentified drone, describing the footage and accompanying claims as false and misleading.

The command said the video was actually recorded during the production of a Yoruba movie, Omine fun Omine Part 2, and was taken out of context.

Mr Abiodun Ojelabi, Police Public Relations Officer for the Osun Command, made this known in a statement issued to journalists on Wednesday in Osogbo.

Ojelabi said the movie was filmed in May and that a police patrol vehicle was used as part of one of the scenes.

He said an individual who was not involved in the production captured the scene on camera and later wrongly presented it as showing police officers fleeing from a drone.

“The command rejects any narrative that serving officers ran away from a drone,” Ojelabi said.

According to him, the false description attached to the footage could damage the reputation of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Investigative journalism requires verification before a clip is given a national or international frame.

“Publishing out-of-context footage and attaching a false explanation is not a minor error when it is used to ridicule a security institution,” he said.

The police spokesman said the command would not allow misleading footage or inaccurate captions to be used to smear the force.

He urged Arise News and other platforms that had circulated the material to withdraw the caption describing the footage as evidence of police officers fleeing from a drone.

Ojelabi further appealed to media organisations to exercise caution by ensuring that staged movie scenes and unverified footage are not presented as proof of police cowardice or misconduct.

“The command remains committed to lawful, professional policing in Osun State and will continue to protect lives and property,” he said.

He maintained that the command was open to accurate and factual reporting but would resist any deliberate attempt to distort images, videos or reports.

“We would not accept deliberate distortion of images, videos, or any media report to drag the command through the mud,” he added.

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