The Oyo State Police Command has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that pupils and teachers abducted from communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been freed.
According to the command, the viral claims are false, misleading, and not supported by any official evidence. In a statement released on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, the public was urged to ignore the reports.
The command specifically denied claims that abducted pupils and teachers from Ahoro Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire LGA had been released.
More than 40 schoolchildren and their teachers were kidnapped on May 15 during attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School (Yawota), Community High School (Ahoro-Esiele), and L.A. Primary School in the area. The incident has since sparked public outrage and intensified calls for their rescue.
The Nigeria Police Force assured residents that security agencies are actively working to secure the safe release of the victims. It added that all available personnel and resources are being deployed to track down the abductors and rescue the victims unharmed.
The command also warned against the spread of unverified information, noting that such reports could cause panic and disrupt ongoing security operations. It urged the public to rely only on official updates from the police and other authorised government sources.
Residents were further advised to remain calm, vigilant, and supportive of ongoing rescue efforts while avoiding the circulation of fake news on social media.