Oyo State denies paying ransom for abducted schoolchildren

The Oyo State Government has denied paying a ransom to secure the release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted by bandits in May, dismissing a viral claim by a social media activist as false and misleading. The denial was issued in a statement on Friday, July 3, by the state's Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade.

The government was responding to allegations made by activist Martins Otse, known online as VeryDarkMan, who claimed in a video that a ransom had been paid but the captors refused to release the victims. Oyelade described the claim as a deliberate attempt by irresponsible bloggers to create confusion and misinform the public.

He stated that while the state and federal governments have been working relentlessly to secure the safe release of the abductees, no ransom has been paid to the bandits, either directly or indirectly. The commissioner urged the public to disregard the social media reports and rely solely on information from official government channels, warning that misinformation could undermine ongoing security operations.

The abduction occurred on May 15, when bandits attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities within the...