SUNDAY SAMUEL—The Nigeria Police Force has refuted claims linking a widely shared video showing mistreated children to the recent kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, stating that the footage is deceptive and has no connection to the case.
This clarification was made in a statement posted on the official X account of the Nigeria Police Force on Friday, May 29.
Police authorities explained that the circulating clip was not recorded in Nigeria and was wrongly attached to the Oyo State abduction incident.
“The Nigeria Police Force has observed that an outdated video from outside the country is being wrongly connected to the recent kidnapping of school pupils and teachers in Oyo State,” the statement stated.
The authorities cautioned the public against believing the false narrative, noting that the footage was being used to spread false information and trigger fear among citizens.
“This clip has no link to the incident and is being circulated to mislead the public and create unnecessary anxiety,” the statement further noted.
Meanwhile, the Force reassured Nigerians that security operatives were making stronger efforts to secure the release of the kidnapped victims.
The statement added that more tactical and intelligence assets had been assigned to aid the ongoing rescue mission.
“Security operatives have stepped up rescue operations by deploying more tactical and intelligence support to guarantee the safe return of the victims,” the police added.
