BY SUNDAY SAMUEL—The Oyo State Police Command has debunked widespread rumors of a bandit attack in Ogbomoso and Ajaawa, revealing that the panic was actually triggered by a misunderstanding involving an off-duty security officer celebrating a birthday.
The police confirmed that normalcy has been fully restored to the affected communities and issued a stern warning to the public against the dissemination of fake news and unverified security reports.
Panic gripped residents of Ogbomoso and neighboring Ajaawa Town on Monday, May 19, 2026, following viral rumors that armed bandits had invaded the vicinity of Are-Ago High School.
In response to the mounting apprehension, the Command immediately deployed surveillance and tactical patrol teams to the scene. However, a preliminary investigation revealed a starkly different reality from the social media narrative.
According to the school principal, Mrs. Akanbi Ruth, the alarm was raised after students spotted “unfamiliar individuals” behind the school fence, sparking immediate panic among staff and students.
Police operatives quickly identified the individuals as an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the Kwara State Command, accompanied by two civilians in a Toyota Venza SUV.
“The individuals were questioned and explained that they had merely visited the lady among them in celebration of her birthday,” the police statement clarified. The identity and status of the officer were subsequently verified with NSCDC authorities in Ogbomoso.
The Command noted that the situation spiraled out of control due to a chain reaction of unverified information:
The Altercation: An argument broke out between some teachers and the visitors, which inadvertently heightened suspicion on the school premises.
The Student Chain Reaction: Believing a security threat was underway, students began spreading unverified claims to neighboring schools.
Community Panic: The rumors rapidly escalated across Ogbomoso and Ajaawa Town before the actual facts could be established.
The police categorically stated that no bandit attack, invasion, or security breach occurred. Visibility policing and patrols have since been intensified around the communities, and normal academic and commercial activities have fully resumed.
The Oyo State Police Command strongly condemned the deliberate spread of misinformation, warning that false security alerts cause unnecessary chaos, disrupt local economies, and undermine legitimate security efforts.
The Command advised social media users and youths to refrain from forwarding unconfirmed reports. It emphasized that anyone found deliberately peddling fake news to incite public fear will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted under the law.
