False Bandit Attack Alert Triggers School Closures in Six Osun LGAs

Osun State Map

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.