BY CHIJIOKE CHARLES
The Oyo state police command has refuted reports claiming that two residents abducted in Igbope have been rescued by Sunday Adeyemo, the youth leader popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Afrilensnews had earlier reported on Saturday night indicating that the abductees — Kuburat Omowumi and her son — had been rescued by Igboho.
The development followed the expiration of a two-hour ultimatum Igboho had issued to Fulani leaders in the community, demanding the release of the residents who were abducted by suspected bandits on June 16.
But in a statement issued on Sunday, Ayanlade Olayinka, spokesperson of the Oyo state police command, said the claim contained in a circulated video suggesting that the victims had regained freedom was false.
“The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the claim contained in the circulated video is false, unfounded, and misleading,” the statement reads.
According to The Cable, Olayinka said the police had sustained and intensified operational and intelligence-driven efforts, in collaboration with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders, to secure the safe rescue of the victims and bring those responsible for the abduction to justice.
He warned that the circulation of unverified information at a critical period could create false narratives, generate unnecessary confusion, and undermine ongoing rescue operations.
The police spokesperson appealed those with useful and credible information relating to the incident to assist security agencies in ensuring the success of the ongoing operation.
He also advised residents to rely only on official communication channels for updates and to verify the authenticity of any content before sharing it to prevent the spread of misinformation.
