The Oyo State Government has categorically denied allegations made by social critic Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), that it paid a ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in Oriire Local Government Area. In a statement released on Friday, July 3, the government described the claim as false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.
Official Rebuttal
Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, signed the statement, calling the allegations “far from the truth” and accusing “irresponsible bloggers” of trying to create confusion. Oyelade explained that while both the Oyo State and federal governments have been making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted children and their teachers, no ransom had been paid to the bandits, either directly or indirectly. He urged the public to disregard the reports and rely only on official government channels for information. The commissioner maintained that the government is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe release of the abductees and bring the incident to a close.
VeryDarkMan’s Allegations
The rebuttal came hours after VeryDarkMan alleged in a viral video that the state governor paid a ransom for the release of the 39 school children and seven teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area. He claimed that shortly after the abduction, Governor Makinde paid the ransom, but the terrorists refused to release the victims. VeryDarkMan noted that the students and teachers have been in the forest for 50 days, saying that everyone has moved on as if nothing happened. He specifically mentioned that President Bola Tinubu had moved on and that every Nigerian had forgotten the children in the bush. 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 expressed fear that the Oyo abduction would not be like that of Chibok, where most of the abducted girls were still in captivity or got married 14 years later.
Government’s Position
The Oyo State Government has reiterated its commitment to the safe return of the abductees and called on the public to disregard the false claims. The government continues to collaborate with security agencies to resolve the situation.
