The Oyo State Police Command has described as "malicious and entirely unfounded" a report alleging that one of the schoolchildren abducted in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area (LGA), had died while in captivity.
DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the command’s spokesperson, said on Friday that no security agency involved in the rescue operation had confirmed such a development.
Olayinka described the publication as a fabrication designed to stir public emotion and undermine ongoing efforts.
"The report is false, misleading, mischievous, and without any factual basis whatsoever.
"It was carefully crafted by individuals whose objective is to arouse unnecessary public sentiment, create panic, spread fear, and undermine ongoing security operations," he said.
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Police said the authors used emotional narratives and unverified claims to manipulate public opinion and cause anxiety.
The command warned that spreading false information at this stage could jeopardise rescue efforts, traumatise affected families and mislead residents.
Oyo Police cautioned bloggers, social media influencers, content creators and media platforms against publishing or amplifying unverified security-related information.
"The indiscriminate sharing of false reports capable of inciting fear or causing public disorder is irresponsible and unacceptable," DSP Olayinka stated.
He urged media houses to exercise professionalism and due diligence, and called on the public to rely only on official updates from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other authorised government channels.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to public safety and pledged to provide verified updates as the investigation progresses.
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