Lagos Govt, Police Dismiss Rumoured Bandit Attacks In Eleko, Imota
The Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Police Command have dismissed reports of a suspected bandit attack in parts of the state, describing the claims as false, misleading and capable of causing unnecessary panic among residents.
The rumour triggered anxiety on Monday across communities around Eleko in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area and Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA), prompting many parents to rush to schools to pick up their children over fears of an impending attack.
The alarm reportedly spread after messages circulated widely on social media alleging that bandits had invaded communities around Eleko.
The situation escalated further when claims emerged that armed attackers had stormed a primary school in Imota and killed two schoolgirls.
One parent whose children attend Davdan Nursery and Primary School in Eleko said school authorities contacted parents and advised them to immediately take their children home as a precautionary measure.
“I was called from my children’s school that bandits are around Eleko and that we should pick up our children from school,” the parent said.
The parent, who spoke anonymously, said the directive affected several schools within the area.
“The directive was issued across the schools around this place, that schools should be closed and that parents should pick up their children. Children are all over the place now. They said all children should go home,” she added.
The panic was heightened after the allegation was repeated during a live call-in programme on a broadcast station, where callers claimed that bandits had invaded a public school in Imota and attacked pupils.
However, authorities quickly moved to debunk the reports.
Clarifying the situation, the headmaster of LG Nursery and Primary School, Agbowa, Mr. Odumeru Adekunle, explained that the incident which appeared to have sparked the rumour was merely an accident and had no connection with any security breach or bandit attack.
Reacting to the development, the executive chairman of Imota LCDA, Benson Ayodele, issued a statement dismissing the claims and urging residents to remain calm.
“We wish to state categorically that the information contained in the video is false, misleading, and entirely unfounded. There is no verified report, official record, or credible security information confirming the alleged incident within Imota LCDA,” Ayodele said.
He warned that the spread of unverified information could generate unnecessary fear and disrupt normal activities within the community.
Ayodele urged residents to rely on official communication channels and verified information from security agencies whenever issues relating to public safety arise.
Following public outrage over the broadcast, the radio station involved admitted that the report was aired without adequate verification and subsequently apologised to listeners.
“During our live phone-in segment, we received calls from listeners alleging that ‘Imota is on fire’ and that ‘bandits are in a public school’ with ‘two girls affected’. In the urgency to inform, the information was aired without full verification from security agencies and community leaders,” the station stated.
The Lagos State Police Command also dismissed the report, insisting that there was no confirmed bandit attack in either Eleko or Imota.
Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the claims as false and said the command would investigate the origin of the viral videos and messages circulating online.
In a brief response to enquiries, Adebisi said, “We will analyse the video and make a comment.”
Authorities have urged residents across the state to remain calm, continue their lawful activities, and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of creating fear, confusion and public disorder.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns about the rapid spread of misinformation on social media and the potential consequences of circulating unverified security reports, particularly in sensitive situations involving schools and children.
المصدر: Leadership (Nigeria)