Schools deserted in Ilorin after false bandits’ invasion alarm

Many public schools were left empty on Friday after a woman in Ilorin, Kwara State, raised a false alarm about bandits.

Visits to several schools showed that while staff were present, classrooms were vacant because students had not come for classes.

A parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said she had kept her children from school for security reasons after the Thursday alarm had traumatized her.

Schools in the Oke-Oyi, Eleko-Afeyin, Zango-Kulende, Danialu, and Agbabiaka communities in the state capital reported the same zero attendance, even after the state Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, refuted the claim.

Commissioner Adekimi said the police were searching for the person who spread the false alarm and warned that such actions could lead to public disorder.

In a statement to DAILY POST on Friday, the state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said: “Following the police statement confirming that the reported bandits’ invasion was merely a rumor and not a real security threat, I wish to reassure parents, guardians, and the general public that there is no cause for alarm.”

He added: “I have personally visited several schools yesterday and today, and can confirm that the learning environment remains peaceful and conducive. I therefore urge all parents to allow their children and wards to resume school without fear, as the safety and well‑being of our learners remain our utmost priority.”

Olohungbebe said the government will continue to work closely with security agencies and relevant stakeholders to ensure that all schools remain safe for teaching and learning.