Man, 42, in Police Net for False School Kidnap Alarm

The Edo State Police Command said it has arrested a man for spreading false information that schoolchildren were kidnapped by bandits in parts of the state.

The suspect, identified as Ernest Ugbomoiko of Afuze Community, was accused of originating and circulating the report on social media and other platforms.

The viral message claimed that pupils had been abducted in Afuze, Ehor, Otuo, Agbede and Igueben communities.

However, the police said investigations showed that no such incident occurred in any of the areas mentioned.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoadem, disclosed this in a statement today, describing the report as false, misleading and capable of causing unnecessary panic among residents.

“The Edo State Police Command has identified one Ernest Ugbomoiko, male, 42 years, of Afuze Community, as the individual responsible for originating and circulating the false information alleging that bandits and kidnappers had abducted school children in parts of Edo State, including Afuze, Ehor, Otuo, Agbede and Igueben.

“The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the report is false, misleading and capable of causing unnecessary panic among residents. There was no incident of school children being kidnapped in the mentioned areas or any other part of Edo state”, the statement stated.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, reassured parents and school authorities that schools across the state remain safe.

ASP Ikoedem said the deployment of security personnel to schools and other vulnerable locations was part of ongoing proactive policing measures and not a response to the false alarm.

The police warned that individuals who spread false information capable of threatening public peace or undermining security operations would be prosecuted.

The statement urged residents to verify security-related information through official channels before sharing such reports.