BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim:
Kidnappers who abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State demanded the implementation of Sharia law, alongside a ₦1 billion ransom and other conditions, for the release of their victims.
Verdict:
Unsubstantiated. While there are unofficial reports that the abductors demanded a ransom and made other conditions, FactCheckAfrica found no publicly available statement, security report, or verifiable evidence showing that the kidnappers specifically demanded the implementation of Sharia law.
Full Text:
Amid growing concerns over the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, a viral message circulated widely across Facebook, WhatsApp, X and other social media platforms claiming the abductors had issued a list of demands to the Oyo State Government.
One version of the claim reads:
“The bandits and kidnappers of Oyo school have allegedly released their demands to the Oyo State Government. Read it here 👇
To The Oyo State Government, This Is Our Demands
1. 1 billion naira to be paid to one account in the Benin Republic
2. The Oyo State Government should release the other bandits in Agodi and Abolongo prisons
3. 2 Toyota Hilux
4. Concession of some Oyo State laws in favour of the bandits (land and Sharia law), etc.
The claim quickly spread beyond social media and became the subject of intense public debate, particularly because it surfaced at a time when conversations around Sharia Courts of Appeal and Islamic legal rights in Southwest Nigeria were already generating political and religious discussions.
Several social media posts and online publications subsequently reported that the abductors demanded not only a ₦1 billion ransom but also the implementation of Sharia law.
Among major national newspapers, LEADERSHIP Newspaper was one of the first to publish a report carrying the headline: “Abductors Demand Sharia Law, ₦1bn Ransom For Release Of Oyo Pupils, Teachers”
The newspaper report stated: “A new twist has emerged in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as reports indicate that the kidnappers are demanding both a ₦1 billion ransom and the implementation of Sharia law as conditions for the release of the victims.”
The newspaper attributed the development to information allegedly arising from discussions within the Oyo State House of Assembly.
But did any official source actually confirm that Sharia law formed part of the abductors’ demands?
Verification:
FactCheckAfrica reviewed publicly available legislative proceedings, media reports, official statements, and video recordings connected to the incident.
Our findings show that many reports linking the kidnappers’ demands to Sharia law trace back to discussions at the Oyo State House of Assembly on June 3, 2026.
A review of reporting by Punch Newspaper on the same legislative session shows that lawmakers rejected the idea of negotiation with the abductors. However, the report itself did not quote any specific demand for Sharia law. The most relevant remarks came from the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin.
In the publicly available video recording reviewed by FactCheckAfrica, the Speaker stated:
“… everything that is necessary for them to bring these children and their teachers back. If it’s up to you, will you negotiate with terrorists? If terrorists asked for weapons, money and concessions of future laws of this land as part of their ransom, if you’re the governor, would you accept that ransom? Would you accept those people to be integrated into that community? We don’t know the details. So, please, let’s be sensitive. The more you negotiate with these people, the more you will embolden them.”
FactCheckAfrica carefully reviewed the footage multiple times. The Speaker explicitly mentioned: * Weapons * Money * “Concessions of future laws of this land” all of which were preceded by “if” and followed by “We don’t know the details”.
However, he did not specifically mention Sharia law anywhere in the video and reports of the plenary session.
We searched for additional recordings, transcripts, interviews, press releases, and official clarifications that might show where the phrase “Sharia law” originated. We found none.
The phrase “concessions of future laws of this land” appears to be the key source from which subsequent interpretations emerged. However, the phrase itself is broad and undefined. It could theoretically refer to future legal concessions, policy demands, legislative changes, prisoner releases, immunity arrangements, land-related concessions, or other conditions. The available evidence does not establish that it specifically referred to Sharia law.
FactCheckAfrica also found that many social media posts and subsequent reports appear to have treated “concessions of future laws” and “Sharia law” as interchangeable terms without presenting documentary evidence showing how that conclusion was reached.
Conclusion:
FactCheckAfrica found no official evidence confirming that abductors of pupils and teachers in Oyo State demanded the implementation of Sharia law. The publicly available remarks of the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly referenced money, weapons, and “concessions of future laws of this land.” However, the Speaker did not specifically mention Sharia law in the video reviewed by FactCheckAfrica.
As of the time of publication, no security agency, government authority, or official negotiation record reviewed by FactCheckAfrica has publicly confirmed that Sharia law formed part of the abductors’ demands. Therefore, claims presenting Sharia law as a confirmed demand of the kidnappers remain unsubstantiated by available evidence.
