Oyo Police Command Debunks Reported Bandit Attack In Ogbomoso, Ajawa, Warns Against Fake News
•By OYENIYI AWOJOODU
IBADAN — THE Oyo State Police Command has debunked reports alleging that suspected bandits attacked Ogbomoso and Ajawa communities in Oyo State, describing the information circulating on some online platforms as false and misleading.
The Command clarified that normalcy had been restored across the affected communities following panic triggered by rumours of an alleged invasion around Are-Ago High School, Ogbomoso, on Tuesday.
The false alarm came amid heightened tension in parts of Oriire Local Government Area following recent security concerns involving some schools in Ogbomoso communities.
In a statement made available to journalists, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, explained that the Command swiftly deployed surveillance and patrol teams to the area after receiving reports of the alleged attack.
According to him, preliminary findings revealed that the incident originated from suspicion raised by some students who reportedly sighted unfamiliar individuals behind the school fence.
“Upon arrival at the location, operatives met with the school principal, Mrs Akanbi Ruth, who explained that the alarm originated from information allegedly circulated among some students who claimed that certain unfamiliar individuals had been sighted behind the school fence,” the statement read.
The police disclosed that investigations later showed that the individuals were an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the Kwara State Command, Ilorin, and two civilians travelling in a Toyota Venza SUV.
The individuals reportedly explained that they were in the area to celebrate the birthday of the female occupant of the vehicle.
The Command further stated that an altercation between some teachers and the visitors heightened suspicion within the school premises, leading students to spread unverified claims to neighbouring schools and surrounding communities.
This development, according to the police, escalated fear and tension across Ogbomoso and Ajaawa Town before the true situation was established.
The Command therefore maintained that there was no bandit attack, invasion, or security breach in the affected communities.
It added that security patrols and visibility policing had since been intensified in the area to reassure residents and maintain peace, while academic, commercial, and social activities had resumed normally.
The police also warned against the spread of fake news and unverified security reports capable of causing panic and disrupting public peace.
“The dissemination of false information, particularly on security-related matters, has the potential to create avoidable chaos, disrupt socio-economic activities, and negatively affect the collective security efforts being sustained across the state,” the statement added.
Residents, especially youths and social media users, were advised to verify information from appropriate security agencies before sharing such reports.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbemiga, urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding while continuing to cooperate with security agencies through timely and credible information sharing.