Recent events in Oyo State have seen the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers from Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area, triggering a range of responses from the community and authorities. The situation has led to strong condemnations, public protests, and official warnings against the spread of misinformation.

The Muslim Community of Oyo State has emphatically distanced itself from Sharia-related demands reportedly made by the abductors. In a statement released on Friday, the community, through its Chairman, Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni, and Secretary-General, Alhaji Murisiku Abidemi Siyanbade, condemned the use of religious rhetoric to justify criminal acts like kidnapping and extortion. They stressed that such actions are contrary to the fundamental teachings of Islam, asserting that criminals and terrorists cannot represent the Muslim faithful or Islamic principles.

In response to what they perceive as a slow governmental reaction to the abductions, youths in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have declared a total shutdown of commercial and social activities across the town, commencing Monday. A video obtained by SaharaReporters depicted groups of youths and elders mobilizing residents with megaphones, urging compliance with the protest. Placard-carrying youths on motorcycles traversed major streets, calling for mass participation. A youth leader, speaking in Yoruba, declared, "Come out en masse, all residents of Ogbomoso. There will be no buying and selling in Ogbomoso. No one should open for business on Monday." The planned shutdown aims to affect markets, workplaces, and vehicular movement, with the goal of compelling authorities and security agencies to intensify efforts for the immediate release of the victims, while urging participants to remain peaceful.

Amidst these developments, the Oyo State Police Command has moved to quash alarming reports circulating about the death of one of the abducted schoolchildren. DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the Police Public Relations Officer, issued a statement on Friday, categorically dismissing these claims as "false, malicious, misleading, mischievous, and without any factual basis whatsoever." The Command asserted that no security agency involved in the ongoing rescue operation had confirmed such a tragic development, attributing the reports to individuals seeking to spread panic and undermine security efforts.

The police further warned against the dissemination of unverified information, stating that such actions could jeopardize rescue operations, inflict additional trauma on affected families, and manipulate public opinion. They accused the authors of the false reports of employing "emotional narratives, speculative claims, and unverified accounts" to generate anxiety. The Command reiterated its commitment to rescuing the children with professionalism and confidentiality, cautioning bloggers, social media influencers, content creators, and media organizations against publishing or amplifying unverified security-related information. Residents were urged to disregard the fabricated reports and rely solely on official communications from the Nigeria Police Force and other authorized government agencies.