…The police condemned what it described as the deliberate spread of unverified and sensational information by some individuals and content creators,
EDO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Edo State Police Command has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media that a police station in Ekpoma was destroyed by fire.
In a statement issued on Monday, the commandβs spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said no police facility or station in Ekpoma was affected by any fire incident, stressing that the viral reports were aimed at misleading the public and creating unnecessary panic.
βThe Command categorically states that no police facility or station was gutted by fire in Ekpoma. The claims making the rounds are completely false and intended to misinform the public, generate fear and erode public confidence,β the statement said.
According to the police, the incident in question actually occurred on Sunday morning at the POWA Shops within the Ekpoma Division.
The statement explained that at about 11:30 a.m. on January 11, 2026, electricity was restored by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, after which a spark from one of the shops allegedly triggered a fire that spread to adjoining shops in the area.
Police officers, alongside members of the public, were said to have responded promptly and successfully contained the fire, preventing it from escalating further.
While the extent of property damage is yet to be determined, the command confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident.
The police condemned what it described as the deliberate spread of unverified and sensational information by some individuals and content creators, warning that such misinformation could cause panic, disrupt economic activities and pose security threats.
The command urged residents to always verify information from credible and official sources before sharing.
Reassuring residents of Ekpoma and the general public, the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, said the security situation in the area remains calm and under control, urging citizens to ignore unverified reports capable of inciting fear or confusion.
The clarification comes a day after tensions rose in the university town following a separate incident on Saturday, when a peaceful protest against insecurity and frequent kidnappings was hijacked by hoodlums.
The miscreants reportedly chased traders from the livestock market, killed goats, beat cows, and vandalised parts of the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has since condemned the violence, stating that there was no justification for attacking a traditional institution under the pretext of expressing grievances over insecurity.
