FACT-CHECK: No! Victims Abducted in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State Have Not Been Released

By: Sonaike Peter

Claim:

Students and teachers abducted on May 15, 2026, in three schools located in Orire Local Government area, Oyo State, have been released.

Verdict:

The claim is false. There is no verified evidence confirming the release of the abducted students and teachers.

Full Text:

A claim alleging that victims abducted in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State had been released reportedly went viral across several social media platforms.

Recall that on May 15, 2026, some students and teachers in three schools located around Orire Local Government in the Ogbomoso axis were reportedly abducted by suspected bandits.

 PUNCH Newspaper learnt that the claim had gained traction since Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

The attack  incident, which sparked public outrage, reportedly led to the killing of at least two persons and the abduction of about 30 students and teachers.

FactCheckAfrica observed that several concerned citizens on social media called on the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to intensify efforts toward rescuing the victims.

Reacting to what has now been described as a false report, the Special Adviser on Security to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Abayomi Fagbenro, dismissed the claim in an interview with PUNCH Newspaper, stating that the abducted victims had not been released.

“As of 10:35 a.m., it’s not true,” Fagbenro told PUNCH.

In a separate interview with PUNCH on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Olayinka Abayomi, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Police Command,  stated he was unaware of any release of the victims abducted during the attack.

He, however, confirmed that efforts were ongoing to secure the freedom of the abducted persons.

Verification:

The claim that the abducted students and teachers in Orire Local Government have been released is misleading and false.

As of the time of filing this report, FactCheckAfrica found no credible report from reputable print, broadcast, or digital media outlets confirming the release of the victims. Meanwhile, the Special Adviser on Security to the Oyo State Governor, Abayomi Fagbenro, publicly debunked the viral claim and described it as false.

Conclusion:

The claim that the abducted students and teachers in Orire Local Government have been released is untrue. The Oyo State Government has distanced itself from the claim and urged members of the public to disregard the misinformation, while maintaining that efforts to secure the victims’ release are being made.