By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Uyo
A false kidnap alert that spread across Akwa Ibom earlier this week has resulted in the arrest of five persons, after the police confirmed that the claim originated from a fabricated video recorded by a secondary school student in Oron.
The alarm, which triggered widespread fear among parents and residents, began when a 15-year-old student of Mary Hanney Secondary School posted a video alleging that several students had been abducted from the school premises.
Within minutes, the video circulated wildly across social media platforms, prompting frantic calls, mass panic, and a temporary disruption of school activities as communities attempted to verify the rumour.
However, the school principal, Mrs. Emma Ubongabasi James, later debunked the claim, describing it as a “reckless falsehood” aimed at gaining online attention. She said no student was missing and the entire school was thrown into confusion by the deceptive video.
Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Baba Mohammed Azare, confirmed on Thursday that five individuals linked to the creation and circulation of the video had been arrested, charged, and arraigned in court.
Azare warned that the command would no longer tolerate the misuse of social media to cause public panic, stressing that false alarms have far-reaching consequences on public peace and security operations.
Speaking during a meeting with youth leaders in Uyo, he urged young people to promote truthfulness in their communities, verify sensitive information before sharing it, and avoid amplifying unverified claims capable of causing chaos.
The CP also met with the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Umoh, and principals of public schools, where he warned students against cybercrimes, misinformation, bullying, and cult-related activities.
He explained that students caught circulating false security alerts or misleading videos could be prosecuted under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, adding that such acts amount to deliberate criminal behaviour.
Azare noted that the police had documented several cases of students engaging in online impersonation, scams, and the spread of doctored videos, all of which he said pose risks to community trust and safety.
The police commissioner assured the Ministry of Education that the command would deploy more school safety officers, strengthen surveillance around school environments, and work with education authorities to ensure that real threats are swiftly addressed while misinformation is aggressively curtailed.