Video: Lagos varsity community outraged over disturbing “bandits prank” video
The Lagos State University (LASU) community has expressed strong anger and disappointment following a viral prank video showing young men dressed as extremist fighters storming the campus, triggering panic among students.
Video link: Lagos varsity community outraged over disturbing “bandits prank” video
The controversial footage, posted December 5 by Datreez Entertainment TV and titled “Bandits Prank on Lasuites,” depicted individuals wearing turbans and desert-style attire associated with terrorist groups. A behind-the-scenes clip revealed the staged nature, showing participants preparing for the prank before driving recklessly into crowds of students while filming their fearful reactions.
Students fled in terror, and many highlighted how the timing was particularly insensitive given recent attacks in Niger and Kebbi States.
As one student creator on TikTok, Anuoluwapo, said, “For days now, security officers have been seizing students’ phones and tripods… This thing does not make sense… This prank has taken us backwards.”
In response to backlash, Datreez Entertainment International removed the video and issued an apology stating, “The content was strictly a social experiment created purely for entertainment purposes… no member of the public was placed in danger, harmed, or subjected to distress.”
They acknowledged, “Nigeria is currently dealing with sensitive security challenges” and “sincerely regret any anxiety, fear, or discomfort the video may have triggered.”
LASU also condemned the prank in an official statement signed by Deputy Registrar Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile: “The University did not give any form of approval, authorisation, or endorsement for the recording. LASU strongly condemns acts or content that portray or suggest banditry, terrorism, or violent extremism.”
Many student content creators lamented the prank’s consequences, citing increased security restrictions that hamper their ability to create on campus.
TikTok creators Tush Agbero and Temmytayo GP joined the chorus of complaints about tighter monitoring.
