Panic swept across Niger State on Wednesday after rumours of an impending bandit attack on schools triggered a mass withdrawal of students from classrooms, forcing several schools and churches to suspend activities amid fears of possible abductions.
The scare, which spread rapidly across Minna, the state capital, and several local government areas, caused anxious parents to abandon workplaces and businesses to pick up their children following reports that armed bandits riding motorcycles had been sighted moving towards the state capital.
By mid-morning, the rumour had sparked widespread confusion, with many public and private schools shutting down academic activities as teachers and administrators also rushed to secure their safety.
The situation extended beyond Minna, with schools in Gawu Babangida, Sabon-Wuse, Tafa and other communities reportedly closing for the day as worried parents trooped to school premises to evacuate their children.
One of the affected parents, Samson Owolabi, said he was unwilling to dismiss the reports despite the absence of official confirmation.
“What is happening in the country today is no longer child’s play. Whether the rumour is true or not, I have picked my children from school and they will not be returning tomorrow,” he said.
According to him, memories of previous school abductions, particularly the attack on a missionary school in the state last year, have left many parents unwilling to take chances with their children’s safety.
While many schools suspended activities, a few institutions, including El-Amin International School, Himma International School and St. Clement Catholic Secondary School, continued normal operations.
The panic also affected religious activities, with some churches cancelling their usual midweek services as members opted to remain indoors.
A pastor of a Pentecostal church in Minna, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said church leaders advised members to stay at home pending clarification of the security situation.
“There will be no church service today because of the information circulating. We felt it was safer for members to remain at home while we monitor developments,” he said.
However, the Niger State Police Command dismissed the reports as false and misleading, insisting that there was no threat to schools or any indication of an impending attack.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the command said security personnel had visited schools mentioned in the rumours and found no evidence of any attack or planned assault.
“The Command hereby states categorically that, having visited all the schools mentioned in these areas, no such attack occurred nor is there any sign of a planned attack on any school within the state,” the statement said.
The police described the reports as the handiwork of mischief-makers seeking to create panic and disrupt public peace, adding that investigations had commenced to identify those responsible for spreading the false alarm.
Abiodun disclosed that Commissioner of Police Adamu Abdullahi Elleman had directed divisional police officers across the state to intensify collaboration with school authorities and strengthen security patrols around educational institutions.
He urged residents to remain calm, disregard unverified information and promptly report suspicious movements to security agencies through designated emergency numbers.