The Oyo State Government has officially dismissed claims made by social media activist Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, regarding the payment of ransom for kidnapped students and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area. Authorities labeled the accusations as misleading and a calculated effort to distribute misinformation.
Commissioner for Information Prince Dotun Oyelade released a statement on Friday characterizing the reports as fabrications spread by malicious online actors. He emphasized that the state and federal administrations have been working diligently through standard security protocols to recover the hostages, without providing any financial compensation to the criminals.
Officials urged the public to avoid unreliable online reports and instead consult official government communications. The state administration maintains it is actively coordinating with security agencies to ensure the safe recovery of the abductees and warned that spreading false narratives could jeopardize sensitive security operations.
