The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed reports of an imminent bandit attack on a school in the state, assuring residents that there is no verified intelligence indicating any planned assault or abduction of pupils.
The command, however, said it has stepped up security around the affected area and other strategic locations across the state as a precautionary measure.
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The reassurance followed reports of a threatening notice allegedly pasted at a school claiming that bandits intended to attack and abduct children, raising concerns among parents and residents.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, the command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, urged parents, guardians, school authorities and residents to remain calm, stressing that while every security concern is treated with utmost seriousness, investigations have not revealed any imminent threat within Lagos State.
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Although, the police did not disclose the identity or location of the affected school, the statement said the Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, had directed an investigate the situation and ordered watertight security measures across the affected area and other strategic locations in the state.
“The Lagos State Police Command has seen reports of a threatening notice allegedly pasted at a school, claiming that bandits intend to attack and abduct school children,” the commission said.
According to the statement, police personnel, working in collaboration with other security agencies, have been deployed to safeguard schools, critical infrastructure and communities.
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“The Command wishes to reassure parents, guardians, school authorities, and all residents that there is presently no verified intelligence indicating any imminent threat of such an attack within Lagos State. While every security concern is treated with the utmost seriousness, members of the public are advised to reain calm and avoid panic,” the statement said.
It added that the Commissioner of Police “directed immediate assessment of the situation and ordered watertight security measures across the affected area and other strategic locations within the state.”
The command has repeatedly warned against the spread of unverified security alerts, noting that misinformation can create unnecessary fear and disrupt public order. Last week, police authorities linked a false bandit invasion alarm to the mob killing of a 24-year-old commercial motorcyclist who was wrongly accused of being a bandit, underscoring the dangers of circulating unverified claims during security scares.
While insisting that Lagos remains secure, the command explained that every lawful measure was being taken to prevent criminal elements from infiltrating or operating within the state.
“Police personnel, in collaboration with other security agencies, have been deployed to ensure the safety of schools, critical infrastructure, and communities,” the statement said, adding that “Lagos State remains secure and that every lawful measure is being taken to prevent criminal elements from infiltrating or operating within the state.”
It warned that it would not tolerate any attempt by bandits, kidnappers or other criminal elements to threaten public peace, adding that anyone found engaging in acts capable of causing fear, panic or insecurity would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The police also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and support security agencies with timely and credible information, describing security as a collective responsibility that depends on active collaboration between law enforcement agencies and members of the public.
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Residents were urged to promptly report suspicious persons, objects, movements or activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency lines.
Growing concerns
Although the police stressed that there is no verified threat to schools in Lagos, the latest scare comes against the backdrop of growing public concern over attacks on schools and mass abductions in parts of the country, making swift official clarification and preventive security measures crucial to reassuring parents and preventing unnecessary panic.
The command reiterated that its committed to ensuring the continued safety, security and well-being of residents, assuring the public that adequate measures remain in place to prevent any security breach across the state.
The police’s remarks come two days after Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu called on Nigerians to rally behind President Bola Tinubu and security agencies in the face of recent security challenges across parts of the country, saying the nation would overcome the threats posed by criminal groups.
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