The Oyo State Government has issued a strong warning against the spread of unverified security information, saying that misinformation risks causing public panic, disrupting ongoing security operations and undermining community confidence at a critical time.
The warning was conveyed in a statement on Wednesday by the Special Adviser on Security, Abayomi Fagbenro, who urged residents to verify any security-related information before sharing it.
He also cautioned against the opposite problem of ignoring or failing to report actual threats, warning that such behaviour could slow down the response of security agencies.
He called on citizens to remain alert, observe their surroundings carefully and report only information they have confirmed to the appropriate authorities, stressing that security is a collective responsibility.
He called on citizens to remain alert, observe their surroundings carefully and report only information they have confirmed to the appropriate authorities, stressing that security is a collective responsibility.
The warning followed the circulation of a false rumour on Tuesday claiming that bandits had attacked Ladoke Akinola University of Technology in Ogbomoso and that the institution had been shut down.
The rumour was untrue but added to the tension already gripping the area following a terrorist attack the previous Friday,
in which gunmen stormed three schools on the outskirts of Ogbomoso and killed two teachers. One teacher was shot during the attack while another, who was among those abducted, was allegedly beheaded by the kidnappers.
Seven students, 18 children and six teachers remain in captivity, with security operatives said to be intensifying efforts to rescue the abducted victims.