The Lagos State Government has dismissed reports of a bandit attack and kidnapping at a school complex in Ojokoro, saying the incident that caused panic among students, parents and residents was the result of a poorly communicated classroom exercise.
The government appealed to residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information, assuring parents that no student was kidnapped and no criminal attack took place within the school premises or the surrounding community.
The clarification followed widespread panic on Wednesday after reports emerged that armed men suspected to be bandits had invaded a school complex in the Ojokoro area of Lagos, forcing students to flee while terrified parents rushed to the school in search of their children.
The incident quickly generated anxiety across the community and on social media, with many residents expressing fears that Lagos could be witnessing a new wave of insecurity similar to attacks recorded in other parts of the country.
However, officials of Lagos State Education District I, which supervises 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across Agege, Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Areas, said the alarm was based on a misunderstanding.
According to the district, the incident originated from a weekly co-curricular program held at Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, one of the four schools located within the Ojokoro school complex.
The authorities explained that the program was designed to expose students to contemporary social and security issues affecting the country. The sessions often include demonstrations and role-play activities intended to make learning more practical and engaging.
During Wednesday’s exercise, however, a member of the teaching staff reportedly adopted an overly dramatic method to demonstrate the dangers associated with kidnapping and banditry.
Officials said the demonstration involved the use of a vehicle and simulated security operations. Costumes and behaviour resembling those of criminal elements were reportedly used to create a realistic scenario for the students.
Rather than serving as an educational exercise, the demonstration had the opposite effect.
Many students reportedly believed the school was under a real attack and fled the premises in fear. The confusion soon spread beyond the school compound as frightened students ran into nearby neighbourhoods.
The panic escalated rapidly, with worried parents making frantic phone calls and rushing to the school to confirm the safety of their children.
Residents of nearby communities, particularly those living in the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, LSDPC, Estate in Ojokoro, also became alarmed after rumours of an ongoing kidnapping operation circulated on social media platforms.
In a statement, the Residents Association of the LSDPC Estate acknowledged that the exercise may have been conceived as an educational role-play but criticised the manner in which it was carried out.
The association described the execution as inappropriate, especially at a time when concerns over kidnapping and insecurity remain high across the country.
According to the residents, the teacher involved failed to adequately inform school authorities, fellow staff members and students about the planned demonstration before carrying it out.
“Furthermore, the teacher failed to inform the school authority, other staff, and the rest of the student body about his proposed drama, which included the use of realistic special effects. This lack of communication resulted in severe panic within the school,” the association stated.
It added that the resulting stampede caused many students to run into the estate, creating confusion and fear among residents.
“In the ensuing rush to escape what they believed to be a real threat, a large number of students fled into our estate, causing the rowdiness and alarm that many witnessed,” the statement said.
The residents’ association also sought to reassure members of the public that no criminal incident had taken place.
“We want to assure all residents that there was no actual security breach, kidnapping or bandit attack within or around our estate. The police were immediately contacted and are fully involved. The teacher responsible for the false alarm has been taken to the police station for questioning, and the situation has been completely brought under control.”
The Lagos State Government maintained that the incident was purely a result of miscommunication and poor planning rather than a security failure.
Authorities stressed that all students and staff members were safe and accounted for, while urging parents not to panic over rumours circulating online.
The incident has once again highlighted the sensitivity of security-related issues in Nigeria, where kidnappings and attacks on schools have become major concerns in recent years.
Although Lagos has largely remained insulated from the large-scale school abductions witnessed in some northern states, reports of kidnappings and other criminal activities across the country have heightened public anxiety.
Between 2020 and 2024, several schools in states including Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara and Katsina came under attack by armed groups, leading to the abduction of hundreds of students. The incidents triggered nationwide outrage and prompted calls for improved security around educational institutions.
Against this backdrop, many Lagos residents reacted swiftly to Wednesday’s rumours, fearing the worst.
As investigations continue into the Ojokoro incident, authorities have urged residents to rely on verified information from official channels rather than social media speculation.
For parents and residents who spent anxious moments fearing for the safety of their children and loved ones, the government’s message was clear: there was no bandit attack, no kidnapping and no breach of security at the Ojokoro school complex.
What occurred, officials insist, was a classroom exercise that went terribly wrong and exposed the need for better communication, proper supervision and greater sensitivity when addressing security-related topics in schools.