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False Bandit Attack Alert Triggers School Closures in Six Osun LGAs

Published

3 months ago

June 2, 2026

False Bandit Attack Alert Triggers School Closures in Six Osun LGAs

The rumour of bandits’ invasion of some parts of Osun State, particularly Ikirun and Ila, on Tuesday led to a widespread panic across the state, forcing both public and private schools to abruptly shut down and driving both students and teachers home in fear. Communities across the state were thrown into serious panic upon receiving information that suspected bandits had allegedly dropped a threatening letter to one of the public schools in the area. What began as a single unverified report quickly escalated into a full-blown security scare, affecting thousands of students, parents, and teachers across multiple Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The fear originated in Ikirun and rapidly spread to neighbouring communities including Obaagun, Iree, Eripa, Otan Ayegbaju in Boluwaduro Local Government Area, and Ila-Orangun in Ila Local Government Area. Some public and private schools in Ila, Odo Otin, Boripe, Ede, Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas shut down before 11am following the rumour. Students from several schools were seen running out of premises in fear, with viral videos on social media showing the chaotic scenes. Affected schools included the Community Second Grammar School, Obaagun; NUD in Iree; Kidvarc in Iree; Baptist Day School, Iree; and schools in Eripa, Otan-Ayegbaju, Ila-Orangun, Osogbo and Owode Ede. At Sasa Area, Oke Baale, Osogbo, many parents stormed a public primary school to pick up their children as the rumour spread. A similar situation unfolded in Eweta Area, a community located along the Ikirun-Inisa Road, where many parents rushed to schools to collect their children before the official closing time. Some private schools in Osogbo reportedly began calling parents directly, asking them to come and retrieve their children as a precautionary measure.

Investigations into the incident revealed that the panic originated from the Ila Orangun axis early on Tuesday morning. According to security sources, some residents claimed that a schoolgirl had been abducted at Faaje village along Oyan Road in Ila Orangun. This unverified report quickly spread through Ila Local Government Area and the neighbouring Oyan community in Odo Otin Local Government Area, fuelling widespread fear across multiple communities. However, further checks by security agencies later discovered the claim was entirely false. The girl in question was reportedly found to have gone into hiding simply to avoid going to school that day. But by the time the truth emerged, the damage had already been done – the rumour had spread like wildfire across communities in Ila and Oyan, triggering a cascade of panic that shut down schools in at least six LGAs.

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, swiftly responded to the situation, dismissing the rumoured bandit invasion as a “false alarm” and urging residents to remain calm. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor described the rumour as the handiwork of “evil opposition elements” seeking to plunge the state into chaos. “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,” Adeleke stated. The governor reiterated that parents and guardians should not panic, confirming that fact checks from border areas and across the state confirmed no case of kidnappings had occurred. He insisted that the alarm was false and deliberately orchestrated by opposition elements.

Governor Adeleke also used the opportunity to highlight his administration’s efforts to strengthen school security across the state. He disclosed that the state’s Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) , which were inherited in a “knocked down” condition from the previous administration, have been fully refurbished and are ready for deployment to deal with any security threats. “The Oyetola administration inherited the APCs from the Aregbesola administration. The last administration however left them to rot. My government has rehabilitated them and the public will soon witness a new security plan to strengthen the security of lives and properties in Osun State,” the governor noted. He warned against incitement to criminal conduct by evil elements, adding that the local intelligence network is actively monitoring border towns and identified hotspots. “No stone will be left unturned to guarantee the security of our schools, our pupils, residents, citizens and properties,” Adeleke added.

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The Osun State Police Command also weighed in on the incident, issuing a strong warning against the circulation of false and misleading reports alleging a bandit invasion. In a statement issued on Tuesday in Osogbo on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the Command described the reports as “unfounded, misleading, and capable of causing unnecessary panic, fear, and tension” among law-abiding residents. The statement noted that “extensive intelligence gathering and security assessments conducted by the Command have not substantiated the claims being circulated” . CP Gotan warned individuals and groups involved in the deliberate creation, publication and dissemination of false security information to desist immediately. He stated that “the spread of unverified information undermines public confidence and poses a threat to public peace and security across the state” . The police advised residents to verify security-related information through official channels before sharing it, adding that anyone found spreading false information capable of causing public disorder would be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law. The Command reassured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property, urging them to remain calm, vigilant and continue their lawful activities without fear. It added that security agencies remained on alert, with covert operatives and Violent Crime Response personnel deployed across the state.

Meanwhile, the development has reignited calls from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) for improved security in schools located in remote and border communities. Babalola Babatunde, Chairman of the NUT in Osun State, disclosed that the state Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, had called an emergency security meeting following discussions with the union. “Schools near forests and border communities are often far from urban centers, making them vulnerable targets for bandits and kidnappers. It shouldn’t be a crime to be a teacher,” Babatunde stated. The union has requested additional security personnel to be deployed to schools in border villages, including officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) , the police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) .

Following the kidnapping of some students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, Governor Adeleke had earlier ordered the immediate revitalisation of the Safe School Initiative in Osun. Adeleke said the revitalisation of the initiative was a proactive measure aimed at preventing any spillover effects of the incident in Oyo State into Osun. The governor also directed intensified intelligence gathering in rural and border communities and announced stronger collaboration between the Amotekun Corps and community peace organisations. The nationwide crisis stems from the abduction of about 39 students and seven teachers across three schools in Oriire LGA of Oyo State, which has prompted the NUT to direct all state chapters to hold solidarity rallies nationwide demanding the unconditional release of abducted teachers and learners.

False Bandit Attack Alert Triggers School Closures in Six Osun LGAs

Related Topics:bandit attack Osun LGA school closures

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Security Forces Rescue 10 NYSC Members from Kogi Forest

Published

4 hours ago

August 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Security Forces Rescue 10 NYSC Members from Kogi Forest

Joint Police, Military, and DSS Operation Frees Abducted Corps Members; Search Continues for 5 Others

Security forces have successfully rescued ten National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were abducted by suspected kidnappers in Kogi State. The victims were freed from Egume Forest in Ofu Local Government Area during a coordinated joint operation. The operation involved personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other auxiliary security forces. According to the Kogi State Police Command, the rescue was achieved through a sustained, intelligence-driven operation aimed at securing the safe recovery of the abducted corps members and dismantling criminal elements operating in the area.

The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the rescue in a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat. The command described it as a “sustained, coordinated and intelligence-driven operation” by security agencies. The operation was launched not only to secure the safe release of the victims but also to dismantle criminal elements operating in the area and bring those responsible to justice. The command disclosed that the operation was still ongoing as security personnel continued efforts to locate and rescue other victims who may still be in the hands of the kidnappers.

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The Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, commended personnel from the police, military, DSS and other supporting forces for their gallantry, professionalism and resilience during the operation. He also appreciated residents of the affected communities for their cooperation and timely provision of credible information, which was critical to the success of the ongoing security operations. The police urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant while encouraging them to report suspicious movements or information that could assist security agencies in rescuing the remaining victims.

Security agencies continue to comb the surrounding forest for any remaining victims and have intensified search-and-rescue operations to locate them. The police urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant, and to promptly report any suspicious movements or information that could assist in rescuing the remaining victims and apprehending the perpetrators. The command assured residents that all available operational resources were being deployed to ensure the safe recovery of the remaining victims and the arrest of the perpetrators. The police said further updates would be provided as operational circumstances permit.

Security Forces Rescue 10 NYSC Members from Kogi Forest

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IPOB Gives FG 14-Day Ultimatum to List Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal or Face Election Boycott

Published

4 hours ago

August 31, 2026

Trends Admin

IPOB Gives FG 14-Day Ultimatum to List Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal or Face Election Boycott

Separatist group accuses government of avoiding court after rushing to convict Kanu, demands urgent listing of appeal

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate listing and hearing of detained leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal, or face a boycott of the 2027 general election across the South-East and other parts of what the group describes as “Biafraland”. The ultimatum was issued on Monday by IPOB’s Head of Directorate of State (DOS), Mazi Chris Nwaogu, in a video broadcast. The development follows renewed concerns by Kanu’s family over the delay in hearing the appeal against the conviction and life sentence handed to the IPOB leader. The family recently disclosed that Kanu wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal, seeking the immediate listing and hearing of his pending cases.

Nwaogu accused the Federal Government of avoiding the court after moving swiftly to secure Kanu’s conviction. “The Federal Government has not filed a Respondent’s brief, they have not listed the appeal, they have not come to court. A country that rushed to convict is now too frightened to defend the conviction,” he said. He warned that the group would consider mobilising for a boycott of the 2027 elections if the government failed to act within the stipulated period. “We are giving them 14 days to list Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal, if they refuse, we will consider boycotting the coming elections across Biafraland and beyond. A government that cannot face its Court of Appeal has no right to demand our votes,” Nwaogu added.

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Nwaogu also criticised the handling of Kanu’s case by the Nigerian judiciary, alleging that the proceedings from the trial court through the appellate stages had exposed serious concerns about the country’s judicial system. “This judicial conspiracy through the trial court to the remittal and the present silence will shame the Chief Justice of Nigeria and all lawyers who still pretend this system is healthy. This case will either reset the Nigerian judiciary or expose it,” he said. He particularly faulted the Supreme Court’s decision which overturned Kanu’s discharge and acquittal by the Court of Appeal, insisting that the apex court exceeded its constitutional powers by pronouncing on individual counts that had already been quashed by the Court of Appeal. “Justice Lawal Garba, JSC, crossed a line that the Constitution does not allow. This is the heart of the matter,” Nwaogu stated, arguing that a court “cannot manufacture jurisdiction that has ceased to exist.”

The Okwu-Kanu family had earlier raised the alarm over the delay in hearing Kanu’s appeal against his conviction. In a statement, the family disclosed that Kanu had separately petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal, requesting the immediate listing and hearing of his pending cases. The family drew a direct comparison to October 2022, when the Court of Appeal delivered a judgment discharging Kanu and quashing the criminal counts against him. According to the family, the Federal Government obtained a stay of execution just 14 days after that judgment, preventing Kanu from regaining his freedom. “Fourteen days. In fourteen days, the machinery of the Court of Appeal moved from an acquittal-equivalent discharge to a civil stay that kept Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in detention,” the family stated. The family disclosed plans to formally notify the United States Congress, Israeli Knesset, and International Bar Association of what it described as an “unacceptable delay” in the handling of Kanu’s cases.

Kanu commenced proceedings before the Supreme Court on November 7, 2025, challenging the legality of the apex court’s December 15, 2023 remittal judgment. According to the family, the Federal Government was duly served but has not filed a substantive response more than nine months later. There is also a separate appeal before the Court of Appeal challenging Kanu’s November 20, 2025 conviction and life sentence. Kanu’s Appellant’s Brief was filed on June 5, 2026, and served on the Federal Government, but the prescribed period for filing the Respondent’s Brief has elapsed without one being filed. In a related development, the Federal Government has withdrawn its cross-appeal seeking the death penalty against Kanu. Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed that the government formally communicated its decision not to pursue the aspect of the appeal seeking to replace the life sentence with capital punishment.

IPOB Gives FG 14-Day Ultimatum to List Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal or Face Election Boycott

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Tinubu’s FBI records: Reno Omokri explains why President opposes release

Published

4 hours ago

August 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Reno Omokri

Tinubu’s FBI records: Reno Omokri explains why President opposes release

Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s opposition to the public release of records held by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), arguing that the existence of government files does not automatically mean that an individual has a criminal record.

Omokri made the submission on Monday, August 31, 2026, in a statement published on X while reacting to the renewed controversy surrounding Tinubu’s efforts to prevent the release of unredacted records concerning him.

The controversy follows an ongoing legal battle in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, where Tinubu’s lawyers are opposing a request by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan for access to records held by US law-enforcement agencies.

Omokri argued that the FBI maintains extensive records on individuals for reasons that have nothing to do with criminal convictions or wrongdoing.

He said the FBI may have information on US citizens, residents and foreign nationals whose names have been subjected to background checks for purposes including visa applications and other government processes.

“This is because the FBI conducts MANDATORY background screenings on behalf of the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security on US visa applicants,” Omokri said.

He argued that a name appearing in an FBI database could generate numerous pages of records without those documents necessarily containing evidence of criminal conduct.

“Thus, as a US citizen or resident, or even as a foreign national, if your name is run through the FBI databases, it is likely to bring up hundreds of pages of records. This does not mean that the records are criminal. In most cases, they will be benign,” he said.

Omokri further argued that law-enforcement records can contain highly sensitive personal information, including biometric, biographical and financial details.

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He questioned whether Nigerians would want such private information released publicly or handed to political opponents simply because the person involved is a public official.

“Would you, as an individual, want your private records released to your political opponents, even if they were non-criminal?” he asked.

His comments came amid renewed attention to Tinubu’s legal challenge against the release of unredacted FBI and DEA records.

The President’s lawyers have argued that US privacy laws and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) protect information contained in the requested documents.

They have also challenged the argument that Tinubu’s status as Nigeria’s President creates a sufficient public-interest basis for releasing otherwise protected personal information.

The legal dispute followed Greenspan’s FOIA efforts to obtain records relating to Tinubu from several US government agencies.

The requested material is connected to historical investigations involving Tinubu and dates largely to the period when he was involved in business and political activities in the United States.

The FBI and other US agencies have previously relied on various FOIA exemptions when dealing with requests for sensitive investigative records. Such exemptions can cover personal privacy, confidential sources, investigative methods and information whose disclosure could expose individuals to harm.

The current US case is therefore a dispute over access to government records, rather than a criminal prosecution of Tinubu.

Omokri also sought to counter claims that Tinubu had previously been identified by US authorities as having a criminal record.

He referred to correspondence between the US Consulate in Lagos and then Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun in February 2003.

According to Omokri, Balogun had written to the US authorities seeking information on whether the FBI had criminal records concerning Tinubu, who was then governor of Lagos State.

Omokri said the US Consulate responded the following day after conducting a check of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.

Contemporary reporting on the correspondence indicates that the check returned no criminal arrest records, wants or warrants concerning Tinubu.

Omokri described the response as an “all clear” and cited it as evidence supporting his position that Tinubu had not been identified as having a criminal arrest or warrant in that particular US database check.

However, the 2003 correspondence should not be interpreted as a blanket declaration that no other investigative, administrative or government records concerning Tinubu existed.

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The distinction is important because the current FOIA litigation concerns broader records held by US agencies.

Omokri said he also travelled to Chicago in 2022, while he was associated with the political opposition, to investigate questions surrounding Tinubu’s academic and other records.

He challenged anyone who doubts the authenticity of the 2003 US Embassy correspondence to seek clarification from the US Embassy.

The controversy over Tinubu’s US records also has a separate history dating back to the 1990s.

In 1993, a US federal court in Illinois ordered the forfeiture of approximately $460,000 connected to a bank account associated with Tinubu.

US authorities alleged that the money represented proceeds of narcotics trafficking or was connected to prohibited financial transactions.

The case was a civil forfeiture proceeding, rather than a criminal prosecution resulting in a conviction.

The issue later became a major part of legal challenges surrounding Tinubu’s eligibility and qualifications during the 2023 Nigerian presidential election litigation.

The Presidential Election Petition Court acknowledged the forfeiture proceedings but held that the petitioners had not established that Tinubu had been arrested, arraigned, convicted or sentenced in a criminal case in the United States.

The court therefore rejected arguments that the forfeiture amounted to a criminal conviction that could disqualify Tinubu from contesting the Nigerian presidency.

The distinction between civil forfeiture and criminal conviction has remained central to the political debate over Tinubu’s history in the United States.

Tinubu’s supporters have maintained that the forfeiture proceeding did not result in a criminal conviction, while his critics have continued to demand greater transparency concerning the circumstances surrounding the funds.

The latest FOIA case has now brought the issue back into public attention, with Greenspan seeking additional records from US government agencies and Tinubu’s lawyers asking the court to prevent or restrict their release.

Omokri maintains that the public should distinguish between an FBI file and a criminal record.

“President Bola Tinubu has no criminal record in the United States, Nigeria, or anywhere else,” he said.

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He argued that the existence of records in an FBI database cannot, on its own, establish criminal wrongdoing.

Opposition figures, however, have taken a different position.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi has argued that Tinubu should allow the records to be released if they contain nothing damaging, saying disclosure could help settle the controversy.

Other opposition voices have similarly demanded greater transparency, arguing that Nigerians have a legitimate interest in information concerning the background of a sitting President.

The disagreement therefore centres on the balance between privacy rights, government-record protections and public interest.

Tinubu’s lawyers are seeking to rely on protections available under US law, while Greenspan is pursuing access through the FOIA process.

The US court will ultimately determine what records, if any, can be released and which portions may legally remain withheld or redacted.

The current litigation does not itself establish that Tinubu committed a criminal offence, nor does it constitute a criminal case against the Nigerian President.

For now, the dispute remains focused on whether US government agencies should disclose additional records concerning Tinubu and whether privacy and other FOIA exemptions justify withholding or redacting the material.

Omokri’s intervention has added another layer to the debate, with the former presidential aide insisting that FBI records should not automatically be portrayed as evidence of criminal conduct.

The controversy is expected to remain politically significant in Nigeria as the US court considers the competing arguments over transparency, privacy and access to government records involving the Nigerian President.