Video of "Bandits Prank" at Lagos State University LASU Trends as Students, Management React
- The Lagos state university community has reacted angrily after a viral prank video staged to mimic a bandit attack circulated online
- Datreez Entertainment International issued a public apology and admitted the entire recording was scripted and performed by participants aware of the concept
- Student content creators lamented that the prank resulted in tighter scrutiny on campus and disrupted their ability to film freely
A storm of outrage has swept through Lagos State University after a video depicting a staged bandit invasion circulated across social media.
The clip, released on December 5 by Datreez Entertainment TV and titled “Bandits Prank on Lasuites”, showed young men dressed in turbans and desert-style clothing associated with extremist fighters as they rode into a crowd of students.
Source: Twitter
The production included behind-the-scenes footage of the group preparing their outfits before speeding into the campus while a cameraman filmed students’ reactions.
Many students were seen running in fear. The episode unfolded at a time when attacks on schools in Niger and Kebbi states had increased public tension, creating an atmosphere where such theatrics could easily trigger real panic.
Checks later showed that the video was removed from the group’s page, though another creator who claimed to be part of the team kept a version online.
Datreez Entertainment International issued a statement on Sunday confirming that every part of the recording was staged.
“The content was strictly a social experiment created purely for entertainment purposes. Every scene, action, and reaction captured in the video was fully staged, involving participants who were aware of the concept and voluntarily part of the production,” the group said.
Watch the video below:
Creators apologise for security insensitivity
The team maintained that no unsuspecting members of the public were endangered. It added that the act was not intended to stir fear at a period when Nigeria faces complex security concerns.
Source: Instagram
“We sincerely regret any anxiety, fear, or discomfort the video may have triggered. This was never our intention. We tender our unreserved apology to the Management of Lagos State University,” the statement read.
The backlash has spread among student content creators who said the incident has led to tighter scrutiny on campus. A popular student creator, Anuoluwapo, criticised the prank in a Tuesday TikTok video.
“This thing does not make sense. When I saw the video, I could not even continue watching it,” he said.
He explained that students have had their phones and tripods seized by security personnel since the clip went viral.
Campus creators lament new restrictions
Other student creators, including Tush Agbero and Temmytayo GP, shared similar concerns, though Legit.ng could not independently confirm whether new enforcement measures have been formally introduced.
LASU management released a statement on Sunday disassociating the institution from the video.
The Deputy Registrar, Mrs Thomas-Onashile Oluwayemisi, stated:
“The University did not give any form of approval, authorisation, or endorsement for the recording of the said video.”
She added that the institution condemns any content that suggests banditry or terrorism.
The school reminded students to remain alert and to report suspicious activity. The prank has now revived conversations about the limits of creative freedom on campuses.
A similar debate occurred in October when the University of Lagos banned unauthorised filming within its premises to protect its academic environment.
Kano cleric speaks on non-consensual video pranks on women
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Kano state-based Islamic scholar, Dr. Ibrahim Siraj Adhama, had strongly denounced the recent trend of filming Muslim women without their consent for prank videos, labelling the act as "haram", meaning it is forbidden according to Islamic doctrines.
Legit.ng learned that his remarks come amid growing outrage among women in Kano over the violation of their privacy and dignity through such videos.
Source: Legit.ng
