Police dismiss viral reports of bandit attacks, clarifies arrest of 38 Ivorians in Ogun
By Omobolaji Adekunle
The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media alleging bandit attacks on schools and communities in the Ota and Ifo areas of the state, reassuring the public that Ogun remains safe and secure.
The command also clarified that the recent arrest of 38 foreign nationals in Atan-Ota has no connection with banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, or any other violent crime.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, stated that there have been no bandit attacks, kidnappings, terrorist activities, or security breaches in any part of the state.
This includes Oluke Community High School, Sango Ota High School in the Ijoko axis, the Fadunsin area of Ijoko, Atan-Ota, Sango-Ota, Agbado, Ifo, and neighbouring communities.
According to the statement, police operatives were immediately deployed to all locations mentioned in the viral reports to verify the claims and reassure residents through sustained patrols and confidence-building operations.
The command disclosed that its School Protection Squad, working alongside Divisional Police Officers in the affected areas, carried out security assessments at the schools referenced in the reports.
The assessment confirmed that all schools are safe, secure, and fully operational, with academic activities proceeding without disruption.
“The Command sympathises with residents who may have been alarmed by the false reports and wishes to assure the public that there is no cause for panic, as all affected areas remain calm and under effective security coverage,” the statement read.
The police further noted that coordinated assessments conducted across the affected communities showed that normal academic, commercial, and social activities are ongoing peacefully, with no threat to lives or property.
On the arrest of 38 foreign nationals in Kajola-Ilese, Atan-Ota, the command explained that the individuals, comprising 19 males and 19 females from Côte d’Ivoire aged between 25 and 35 years, were apprehended following credible intelligence.
According to the police, the suspects were found in an apartment and could not provide valid immigration or travel documents during preliminary screening.
The foreigners reportedly told investigators that they entered Nigeria to engage in online business activities.
The command stated that after preliminary police procedures were completed, the suspects were transferred to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and appropriate action in line with immigration laws.
The police stressed that no bandits, kidnappers, or terrorists were arrested during the operation, warning that attempts to link the foreign nationals to violent crimes are false and capable of creating unnecessary panic among residents.
The command urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information and to rely strictly on official sources for security-related updates. It also reassured residents of Ota, Ifo, Atan-Ota, Ijoko, Sango-Ota, Agbado, and adjoining communities that security operatives remain fully deployed across the state, carrying out intelligence-led operations and routine patrols to safeguard lives and property.