Kidnapping Scare: Edo schools shut down as parents withdraw their children
Schools in Edo North Senatorial District Closed Amid Kidnapping Rumors
Edo State, Nigeria — Several schools in the Edo North senatorial district were closed on Thursday following reports of attempted kidnappings.
Reports indicated incidents at St. James Grammar School in Afuze and Holy Trinity Grammar School in Sabogida Ora, both located in Owan East and Owan West local government areas. There were also unconfirmed reports of school invasions by suspected kidnappers in Auchi, Aviele, Agbede in Etsako West, and in Iruekpen and Ekpoma in Esan West.
Viral videos circulated online depicting students at Holy Trinity Grammar School fleeing the campus amidst claims of an invasion. A narrator in one such video reported that suspected abductors entered the school and that some students were taken.
In Aviele, a man and several children were reportedly abducted by armed assailants. In response to the rising fears, many parents rushed to schools to retrieve their children.
However, the principal of St. James Grammar School, Mr. Ayo Musa, dismissed the reports, stating there had been no unusual activity on the school grounds. “There was not even a strange face that would warrant the alleged invasion,” he said, expressing disappointment over the misinformation.
The Edo State Police Command quickly refuted the kidnapping claims. Public Relations Officer ASP Eno Ikoedem announced the arrest of a 42-year-old man named Ernest Ugbomoiko, who allegedly initiated and spread the false rumors regarding kidnappings in the area.
“The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the report is false, misleading, and capable of causing unnecessary panic among residents,” Ikoedem said. He confirmed that no incidents of schoolchildren being kidnapped occurred in any part of Edo State.
Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika reassured the public that security personnel had been deployed to schools and other vulnerable locations across the state, but emphasized this was part of routine safety measures, not a response to the unfounded reports.
Parents, guardians, and students are encouraged to conduct their activities without fear, as adequate security measures are reportedly in place. The police also warned that individuals who spread false information could face investigation and prosecution under the law. Authorities advised the public to verify any security-related information through official channels before disseminating it.
