The Oyo State Government has dismissed reports alleging that it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in Oriire Local Government Area, insisting that the claims are false.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, described the report as inaccurate and accused unnamed bloggers of spreading misleading information to confuse the public.
“Although both the Oyo State and Federal Governments have been making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted children and their teachers, no ransom has been paid to the bandits, either directly or indirectly,” Oyelade said.
He urged residents to ignore the reports and obtain updates only from official government communication channels.
The commissioner added that the state government remains in close collaboration with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the victims and bring the incident to an end.
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The pupils and their teachers were kidnapped on May 15 when armed bandits attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities of Oriire Local Government Area. The coordinated assault also claimed the life of a teacher.
The victims have remained in captivity since the incident, while both the Oyo State and Federal Governments, alongside security agencies, continue efforts to secure their release.