Several public and private schools across Osun State were temporarily closed on Tuesday after rumours of a possible bandits’ attack caused panic in different communities.
Schools in areas such as Ila, Odo Otin, Boripe, Osogbo, and Olorunda local government areas were reportedly shut before 11 a.m. as parents hurried to pick up their children following rising tension.
In Osogbo, at Sasa Area in Oke Baale, anxious parents trooped to primary schools to evacuate their wards. Similar scenes were recorded in Eweta community along the Ikirun–Inisa Road, where guardians rushed in to take their children home before official closing time.
The panic was triggered by reports that spread early Tuesday morning around the Ila Orangun axis, suggesting that armed bandits were advancing into the area. Some claims also alleged that a schoolgirl had been abducted at Faaje village along the Oyan Road.
However, investigations later revealed that the alleged kidnapping did not occur. The girl in question was said to have deliberately stayed away from school, which fuelled the false narrative that quickly circulated across communities in Ila and neighbouring areas.
A security source who spoke anonymously confirmed that the information was misleading and had been wrongly amplified, leading to widespread fear across Ila and nearby communities.
Reacting to the situation, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, dismissed the reports, describing them as false alarms designed to cause unnecessary panic and destabilisation.
In a statement issued through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor assured residents that there was no record of any kidnapping incident in any part of the state.
Adeleke urged citizens to remain calm and continue their normal activities, stressing that security agencies and the Ministry of Education had strengthened measures to safeguard schools.
He also alleged that the rumour was being spread by opposition elements seeking to create tension, adding that intelligence operations were ongoing in border and hotspot communities.
According to him, the state has also refurbished its armoured personnel carriers, which will be deployed alongside other security resources to improve safety across vulnerable areas.
The governor further reiterated that no stone would be left unturned in ensuring the protection of pupils, schools, and residents across Osun State.