By Adesakin Adefemi
The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed reports of bandit attacks and school invasions in parts of the state, clarifying that the recent arrest of 38 Ivorian nationals in Atan-Ota was unrelated to banditry or terrorism. The Command said Ogun remains safe and calm despite claims circulating on social media.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Babaseyi Oluseyi. He said there had been no bandit attack, kidnapping, terrorist activity, or security breach in Oluke Community High School, Sango Ota High School in the Ijoko axis, Fadunsin area of Ijoko, Atan-Ota, Sango-Ota, Agbado, Ifo, and neighbouring communities.
Following the circulation of the reports, operatives were deployed to the affected locations to verify the claims and reassure residents. The Command said its School Protection Squad, alongside divisional police officers, conducted security assessments of the schools mentioned in the reports.
“The exercise confirmed that all schools were safe, secure and fully operational. School activities continued peacefully and without interruption throughout the day, with students and staff completing a successful academic day before normal closure,” the statement read.
Oluseyi expressed concern over the tension generated by the spread of unverified security information and assured residents that there was no cause for alarm. He said findings from assessments across the affected communities showed that commercial, academic, and social activities were progressing normally without threat to lives or property.
The Command further clarified that the operation carried out in Kajola-Ilese, Atan-Ota, which had been linked by some social media users to banditry, involved the arrest of 38 foreign nationals from Côte d’Ivoire. The suspects comprised 19 males and 19 females aged between 25 and 35 years.
According to Oluseyi, the individuals were reportedly found in an apartment during an intelligence-led operation and could not produce valid immigration or travel documents during preliminary screening. They claimed to have entered Nigeria for online business activities.
“Upon conclusion of preliminary police procedures, they were duly handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and appropriate administrative action in line with extant immigration laws and protocols,” he said. “At no time during the operation were bandits, kidnappers or terrorists arrested.”
The development comes amid heightened concerns over insecurity in parts of the South-West following the abduction of 42 students and teachers in Oyo State.
The Command warned members of the public against spreading unverified security information capable of causing fear and urged residents to verify such reports through official channels.
