Several schools across parts of Edo North were temporarily shut on Thursday after reports of suspected kidnappers in school communities triggered panic among parents and students.
The incident affected areas including Afuze in Owan East, Sabogida Ora in Owan West, as well as communities in Auchi, Aviele, Agbede, and parts of Ekpoma.
Videos circulating online showed students of Holy Trinity Grammar School in Sabogida Ora leaving the premises hurriedly, while similar reports of panic spread to other schools in the region. Some parents were seen arriving at school locations to pick up their children as precautionary measures.
In Aviele, reports also emerged of a man and several children being taken away by armed men, further heightening tension in nearby communities.
However, authorities at St. James Grammar School, Afuze, dismissed claims that their school was invaded. The senior secondary school principal, Ayo Musa, said there was no unusual activity on the premises and described the reports as inaccurate.
The Edo State Police Command also rejected the kidnapping claims, describing them as false and capable of causing unnecessary panic. Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikoedem said a 42-year-old man, Ernest Ugbomoiko, has been arrested for allegedly originating and spreading the rumour across Afuze, Ehor, Otuo, Agbede and Igueben.
The police added that security deployments to schools across the state were part of ongoing preventive measures and not a response to any confirmed attack. Authorities urged residents to rely on verified information and avoid sharing unconfirmed reports that could disrupt public order.
The command warned that individuals found responsible for spreading false security alerts would face investigation and prosecution.
