The Presidency has dismissed viral images circulating online that were claimed to show abducted schoolchildren from Oyo State, saying the photos are false and not connected to the incident.
The clarification was given by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who explained that the pictures being shared on social media do not represent the kidnapped pupils.
According to him, findings from Africa54Research show that the images actually originated from Mali and were taken in June 2020 during an unrelated incident involving schoolchildren and corporal punishment by a teacher.
He said the spread of the misleading photos is a deliberate attempt by some individuals to create fear and confusion among the public over the Oyo school kidnapping case.
Onanuga further alleged that those sharing the false images may be sympathisers of terrorist groups, with the aim of undermining government efforts and causing panic.
He assured Nigerians that the government is actively working to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and their teachers, urging the public to ignore fake news and verify information before sharing it online.
He stated that using unrelated images to mislead the public only worsens tension and distracts from ongoing rescue efforts.
The Presidency therefore called on citizens to remain calm, support security agencies, and avoid spreading unverified content on social media platforms.