The Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State Government have issued an urgent rebuttal to viral social media posts, graphic videos, and broadcast call-in programs alleging that armed bandits have invaded communities across the state, specifically targeting local schools and children.
Authorities have firmly labeled the circulating alerts as “false, misleading, and completely unfounded,” reassuring residents that schools in the affected areas remain safe under active security surveillance.
The panic escalated rapidly on Monday after graphic videos and frantic audio messages flooded WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, claiming that heavily armed attackers had breached security in Eleko (Ibeju-Lekki).
The anxiety reached a fever pitch following a live phone-in segment on a broadcast station, during which unverified callers claimed that “Ibeju was on fire” and that two schoolgirls had been killed by bandits at a local primary school.
Driven by fear, dozens of schools in Eleko abruptly shut down operations, contacting parents to immediately pick up their children.
In a swift response, government officials and community leaders moved to de-escalate the situation, tracing the source of the rumor to a minor localized incident.
Mr. Odumeru Adekunle, Headmaster of LG Nursery and Primary School in Agbowa, clarified that the initial alarm was triggered by a tragic road accident nearby and had absolutely no connection to a security breach. Furthermore, the broadcast station that aired the initial phone-in segment issued a statement apologizing for disseminating the callers’ claims before cross-checking with security agencies.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, categorically stated that “The claims contained in the circulating posts are intended to create unnecessary fear, panic, and apprehension among residents. There is currently no security crisis, invasion, or coordinated attack on any school or community in Ibeju-Lekki, Imota, Oke-Afo, or any other part of Lagos State.”
Residents are strongly urged to remain calm, go about their daily routines, and rely exclusively on official state channels for security updates.
