The Edo State Police Command has announced the detention of a 24-year-old social media content creator, Omoyemen Osarobo, widely known online as “Madam Oil Rice,” over a fabricated kidnap claim that circulated in Benin City.
The charge stems from a video in which Osarobo asserted that she was abducted along Upper Sakponba Road and subjected to extortion by officers at Akpata Police Station.
Spokesperson CSP Moses Yamu clarified that the claim was entirely invented and dangerously misleading. According to Yamu, investigators determined that the entire narrative was a deliberate fabrication designed to boost engagement on Osarobo’s TikTok profile. He noted that Osarobo confessed to staging the incident for online content and to gain more followers.
During questioning, authorities uncovered that Osarobo had previously released a video in which someone in the background urged viewers to follow her page. Officials described this as clear evidence of the motive behind the false alarm.
The police chief underscored that spreading an unverified kidnapping story could inflame public hostility toward law enforcement and create unnecessary tension within the state. He said Osarobo was brought before a court on Thursday, with law enforcement actively pursuing her accomplices to ensure they face justice.
“Our aim is to deter others from misusing social media to generate panic or disrupt public peace,” Yamu stated.
Residents were urged to stop sharing unverified information and to exercise caution with sensational content that could threaten public safety. The Edo State Police Command reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the peace and security of all residents and emphasized the importance of information verification before dissemination.