There was tension in four local government areas of Osun State on Tuesday after rumoured presence of bandits in communities, leading to parents withdrawing their children from schools and disrupting academic activities.
The unverified claims on social media raised panic that bandits were attempting to infiltrate Ila, Ifelodun (Ikirun), Osogbo and Olorunda local government areas of Osun State.
Subsequently, parents rushed to schools, both private and public, to withdraw their wards.
Meanwhile, some schools, especially private ones, allowed parents to pick their children while others assured parents and guardians of safety. Students in some secondary schools left abruptly to escape the alleged attack.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, in a statement through his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, urged residents to ignore claims of school kidnappings, which he tagged a “false alarm.”
He reassured Osun residents that his government had taken proactive steps to secure schools, describing the rumour as the handiwork of “evil opposition elements.”
“I task our people to go about their normal activities without fear. Our government has taken steps to secure our schools. The Ministry of Education and the relevant security agencies have worked out a security strategy that is being implemented,” the governor noted.
He added that Armoured Personnel Carriers had been fully refurbished and were ready for deployment.
Similarly, the Osun State Police Command, through Public Relations Officer Abiodun Ojelabi, warned against the circulation of false and misleading information on social media and other communication platforms.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, mnips, therefore warns individuals and groups involved in the deliberate creation, publication, and dissemination of false security alerts to desist forthwith. The spread of unverified information not only undermines public confidence but also constitutes a threat to public peace and security,” he said.