Police dismiss reported bandit attack in Kwara as false alarm

The Kwara State Police Command has dismissed reports of a bandit attack in Oke Oyi, a community in Moro Local Government Area, describing the incident that sparked widespread panic on Thursday morning as a false alarm.

The scare reportedly began around Government Girls Secondary School, Oke Oyi, after claims circulated that armed bandits had invaded the community, causing fear among students, teachers and residents. The alarm temporarily disrupted academic activities as people fled for safety.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the command said it received reports of the alleged attack at about 9:15 am and immediately deployed officers to verify the situation and secure the area. According to the statement, the divisional police officer in charge of Oke Oyi Division mobilised personnel to the school and surrounding locations following reports of a suspected security breach.

However, preliminary investigations revealed that the panic was triggered by an unverified claim made by a woman who allegedly rushed into the school premises shouting that bandits had entered the community.

The police said the claim quickly spread, creating confusion among students and staff and leading to a temporary suspension of normal activities at the school. Following an assessment of the situation, the command said there was no evidence of any bandit attack or security threat in the area.

“The report was entirely false and without any factual basis. There was no bandit attack, no sighting of bandits, and no security breach within the school or anywhere in Oke Oyi community or Kwara State,” the statement said.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Ojo Adekimi, condemned the spread of unverified security information, warning that false alarms could create unnecessary fear and divert security personnel from responding to genuine emergencies.

He noted that the circulation of misinformation on security matters could undermine public confidence and trigger avoidable public disorder. The police command disclosed that efforts were underway to identify the individual responsible for originating the false alarm, adding that anyone found culpable would face prosecution under relevant laws.

“The person, upon identification, will be invited for questioning and made to face the full weight of the law in accordance with extant legal provisions relating to the spread of false information and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace,” the statement added.

The command urged residents to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified reports capable of causing panic, stressing that security-related information should always be confirmed through official channels.