Oyo Govt Denies Paying Ransom for Abducted Pupils, Teachers

…Says reports are false, reaffirms commitment to safe rescue of victims

Oyo State Government has dismissed reports alleging that it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by gunmen in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the claims as false and misleading.

The government’s position was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, in response to comments made by Nigerian social media influencer and activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, on his X account.

Prince Oyelade said the allegation was entirely untrue and accused irresponsible bloggers of spreading false information aimed at misleading the public and creating unnecessary confusion.

According to the commissioner, both the Oyo State and Federal Governments have continued to collaborate with security agencies to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and their teachers.

He maintained that no ransom had been paid to the kidnappers, either directly or indirectly.

He urged residents to disregard the reports and rely only on information released through official government channels regarding the rescue efforts.

Prince Oyelade reaffirmed the state’s commitment to ensuring the safe release of the victims, assuring the public that all necessary efforts are being made to bring the unfortunate incident to a successful conclusion.