The police command in Anambra says it has arrested two suspects over the alleged circulation of misleading video content capable of escalating communal tensions.

Its spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, said this in a Wednesday statement. Mr Ikenga said the suspects allegedly created and circulated misleading video content and inflammatory claims capable of escalating the communal dispute between Aguleri and Umuoba Anam communities.

He said the content also sought to drag the peaceful Umueri community into the dispute. The three communities are located in the Anambra East council area. According to him, the suspects, Peter Chimezie and Sunday Offordile, were arrested in the early hours of Monday following community intervention and subsequently handed over to the police.

Mr Ikenga said preliminary information indicated that the suspects were allegedly intercepted while recording a video featuring some indigenes of Umueri returning lawfully from their farms. He said the video was accompanied by claims portraying the individuals as armed persons from Aguleri allegedly waiting to attack and kill anyone from Umuoba Anam passing through the route.

The police spokesman said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the recording and circulation of the video, including its authenticity, origin, and intended purpose.

He said deliberately circulating misleading information could provoke reprisals, heighten communal tensions, and undermine ongoing peacebuilding efforts.

Mr Ikenga said the suspects made statements relevant to the allegations during preliminary interrogation, adding that the investigation was ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

He said the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, for further investigation and necessary legal action.

Reacting to the development, the police commissioner, Nnanna Ama, reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, maintaining public order and preventing the escalation of communal disputes.

Mr Ama said the objectives would be achieved through timely, intelligence-led policing and effective collaboration with community stakeholders. He cautioned members of the public against recording, publishing, or circulating unverified content and provocative narratives that could incite hostility or trigger violence between neighbouring communities.

The police chief urged residents to verify information before sharing it and report credible security concerns through appropriate channels. He also appealed to the people of Aguleri, Umuoba Anam and Umueri to remain calm, exercise restraint and support ongoing peace initiatives.

“No individual or group should take the law into their own hands or engage in retaliatory actions based on unverified information,” he said.

(NAN)