The Oyo State Government has denied allegations by social media activist Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, VDM, that it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.
Verydarkman in a viral video on Friday alleged that Governor Seyi Makinde paid ransom for the release of the 39 abducted victims but claimed the kidnappers refused to release them despite receiving the money.
He also expressed concern over the prolonged captivity of the victims and urged the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure their freedom.
He noted that the students and their teachers have been in the forest for 50 days, saying that everybody has moved on as if nothing had happened.
According to him, nobody knows the condition of the victims, “We don’t know if they are still alive or they have been taken out of the forest,” he said.
Bandits on May 15 attacked Baptist Nursery/Primary School Yawota, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and the Community Grammar School Esiele in Orire LGA, where teachers and pupils were abducted and marched into the forest.
In a statement issued on Friday in Ibadan by the state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, the government described the allegation as false and misleading.
Oyelade described the claim as “far from the truth” and a deliberate attempt by bloggers to create confusion and misinform the public.
The government urged residents to disregard the reports and rely only on information released through official government channels.
It also reassured the public that it remains committed to working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and bring the unfortunate incident to a successful conclusion.
According to the statement, Oyo State and Federal Government have continued to make concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and teachers, no ransom has been paid to the kidnappers, either directly or indirectly.
The government urged residents to disregard the reports and rely only on information released through official government channels.
It also reassured the public that it remains committed to working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and bring the unfortunate incident to a successful conclusion.
NAN
