The Oyo State Government has firmly rejected claims that it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers kidnapped in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the allegations as false and misleading.
This response comes amid growing public concern for the victims who remain in captivity nearly 50 days after the attack.
On May 15, 2026, armed bandits launched a coordinated assault on schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities of Oriire LGA. The attackers killed one teacher and a motorcyclist while abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers.
This incident raised important questions about school safety and child protection in our communities.
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Popular social media activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan or VDM, recently posted a video claiming that the Oyo State Government made a ransom payment, but the kidnappers still refused to free the children and teachers.
In a detailed official statement, Commissioner for Information Prince Dotun Oyelade clarified that no ransom was paid directly or indirectly. The government stressed that both state and federal teams are collaborating with security agencies through legitimate channels to ensure the safe return of every child and teacher.
Officials warned that spreading unverified information could harm delicate rescue operations and appealed to the public to trust only confirmed updates from reliable sources.