The Oyo State Government has denied reports alleging that it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
The government described the reports as false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the allegation was “far from the truth” and accused what he described as irresponsible bloggers of spreading misinformation capable of creating confusion.
According to the commissioner, both the Oyo State Government and the Federal Government have been making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and their teachers, but no ransom has been paid to the kidnappers, either directly or indirectly.
He urged members of the public to disregard the reports and rely only on information disseminated through official government channels.
Oyelade reiterated the government’s commitment to working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the abductees and bring the unfortunate incident to a successful conclusion.
He also appealed to residents to remain calm and continue to support ongoing security operations by providing credible information to relevant authorities.
