The Delta State Police Command today moved swiftly to debunk widespread rumors of a bandit invasion at a secondary school in the state, assuring the public that the reports were “entirely false and misleading.”
The rumors, which went viral across social media platforms on Monday, caused significant panic among parents and residents in the Kwale area of the state, who feared a repeat of the recent mass abductions seen in other parts of the country.
According to a statement signed by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the alarm originated from misinformation circulated among students at the Girls’ Secondary School, Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, and was subsequently amplified by unverified online posts.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, immediately ordered a patrol team to the scene for verification.
Police Verification: “The Vice Principal of the school and the security man on duty were interviewed, and both confirmed that no attack occurred and that the panic emanated solely from misinformation among students,” the statement read.
As a precautionary measure, the command visited adjoining schools in the Kwale axis and confirmed that all institutions were safe, calm, and operating normally. Parents who had rushed to pick up their children were advised to remain calm, as full normalcy had been restored.
CP Abaniwonda issued a strong warning against the spread of unverified rumors that could disrupt academic activities and cause unnecessary fear, urging school authorities to strengthen internal communication and promptly report any suspicious observations to the nearest police formation.
