Oyo Rejects Ransom Claims, Says No Payment Made to Kidnappers

Oyo State Government has vehemently refuted allegations that it paid a ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted in the Oriire Local Government Area. Social media activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), had claimed a ransom was paid, but the government has labeled this assertion as false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.

“

The claim that the Oyo State Government paid ransom to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers is far from the truth.

In a statement released on Friday, Commissioner for Information Prince Dotun Oyelade insisted the claim was "far from the truth." He accused "irresponsible bloggers" of spreading falsehoods to sow confusion. Oyelade stressed that while both the Oyo State and Federal Governments have been working tirelessly for the safe return of the abductees, no ransom, direct or indirect, was paid to the kidnappers.

“

It is the handiwork of irresponsible bloggers whose intention is to create confusion and misinform the public.

The commissioner highlighted that the ongoing rescue operations are being conducted through established security channels. He urged the public to disregard reports circulating on social media and other platforms, warning against the dangers of misinformation that could jeopardize security operations. Residents were advised to rely solely on information disseminated through official government channels.

“

Although the Oyo State Government and the Federal Government have been making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted children and their teachers, no ransom has been paid to the bandits, either directly or indirectly.

Oyelade reaffirmed the Oyo State Government's commitment to collaborating closely with security agencies to ensure the safe release of all hostages and bring the unfortunate incident to a successful conclusion. The statement concluded by reiterating that the claim of ransom payment is untrue and the work of those aiming to mislead the public.

“

Members of the public are advised to disregard these false reports and rely only on information released through official government channels.