- The Oyo State Government has officially refuted widespread social media reports claiming that the pupils, students, and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area have been released.
- Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, Abayomi Fagbenro, alongside the Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed on Thursday that all 32 victims remain in captivity as rescue efforts continue.
- Elite detectives deployed from the Force Headquarters in Abuja are currently working alongside a joint military-police taskforce to execute a strategic rescue mission following recent battlefield contact with the abductors.
The Oyo State executive council has moved swiftly to clear the air regarding the operational status of the victims taken during last Friday’s school raids.
Eko Hot Blog reports that addressing reporters on Thursday afternoon, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, Abayomi Fagbenro, stated that the viral digital broadcasts claiming the captives had been freed are completely manufactured and untrue.
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The government’s clarification follows hours of widespread online speculation that began building on Wednesday evening, which left local communities and families navigating intense emotional confusion.
The security emergency stems from a coordinated assault executed by heavily armed bandits along the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota axis of Ogbomoso in Oriire Local Government Area.
The attackers violently breached three learning centers—the Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and the LEA Primary School in Esiele, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and the mass kidnapping of approximately 30 children and academic staff.
Executive updates verified the precise count of the missing to include 18 children and seven teachers from the Baptist facility, alongside seven older students from the community grammar school.
State law enforcement authorities confirmed that specialized tracking operations have entered an intense phase despite the false media narratives.
Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer Olayinka Ayanlade assured the public that joint tactical teams are aggressively combative on the ground to force a breakthrough.
The regional search-and-rescue apparatus received a significant boost following an order from Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, who ordered the immediate deployment of experienced counter-kidnapping detectives from Abuja to embed within the state’s frontline formations.
The push to secure the hostages has similarly mobilized top federal institutions, with Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas demanding a clinical and timely extraction to guarantee the safety of the young captives.
This legislative demand aligns with active battlefield briefs released by the Defence Headquarters, which noted that military troops have already established direct tracking contact with the fleeing bandit syndicate.
Governor Makinde has reiterated his administration’s commitment to committing all necessary logistical resources to resolve the crisis, while warning residents to refrain from circulating unverified rumors that could jeopardize active lines of military intelligence.
