The Nasarawa State Police Command has dismissed claims circulating on social media alleging that two pupils of St Peter’s Academy in Rukubi, Doma Local Government Area were abducted during school activities, describing the reports as false, misleading, and “mere rumour unworthy of publication,” Okay News reports.
The alarm, widely shared by blogs and some media outlets (not Okay News), had sparked panic online before police authorities clarified the situation.
Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, in a statement released on Friday, said the Command was alerted to posts reporting that gunmen stormed the school and kidnapped two pupils. He stressed that the narrative did not align with facts on the ground.
“The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the report is false and does not reflect the true state of affairs,” Nansel said.
He explained that around 10 am on Friday, police received an unverified alert claiming two pupils had been abducted while taking part in sporting activities on the school field.
Acting swiftly, the Commissioner of Police, Shetima Jauro Mohammed, deployed a combined team of police operatives and military personnel already stationed within the area.
According to the statement: “Upon arrival, it was discovered that the pupils had sighted some hunters carrying Dane guns and, out of fear, fled, mistaking them for kidnappers.”
Police say the team immediately combed the area before normalcy was restored. The school’s proprietor later confirmed to officers that the alarm raised was false.
Nansel noted that the area remains under strict surveillance to prevent any actual security threat, and urged members of the public to disregard the rumoured abduction.
He also cautioned media organisations against publishing unverified claims, saying,
“Journalists and media outlets are further advised to always verify information before publication to avoid misleading the public.”
The false alarm in Nasarawa came just hours after a real abduction incident in Niger State, where armed men stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, kidnapping several students and staff in a pre-dawn attack. That situation remains under active security response.
