The Oyo state government has denied reports claiming it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by gunmen in the Oriire local government area of the state.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, described the allegation as “false, misleading and the handiwork” of “irresponsible bloggers” seeking to misinform the public.
Oyelade said the reports were “far from the truth,” saying neither the state government nor the federal government had paid any ransom, directly or indirectly, to the abductors.
He noted that both governments had continued to make concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and teachers through legitimate means.
The commissioner urged members of the public to disregard the reports and rely only on information released through official government channels.
He added that the state government was working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and bring the unfortunate incident to a successful conclusion.