The Lagos State Government has called for calm after panic erupted in the Ojokoro area over reports of an alleged bandit attack at a school complex, which led anxious parents to rush to the premises to confirm the safety of their children.
In response, Lagos State Education District I, which oversees 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across Agege, Alimosho, and Ifako-Ijaiye, clarified that there was no bandit or kidnapping incident. It described the situation as a misunderstanding arising from a poorly communicated educational activity.
According to the district, the incident stemmed from a weekly co-curricular programme at Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, one of four schools within the Ojokoro complex.
Officials explained that the programme is designed to educate students on modern security challenges and often includes practical demonstrations to enhance learning. However, during Wednesday’s session, a teacher reportedly adopted an overly dramatic approach while demonstrating kidnapping and banditry scenarios, which unintentionally triggered panic.
The demonstration reportedly involved the use of a vehicle and staged security-style simulations, including costumes and actions meant to resemble criminal activity.
The realistic portrayal reportedly caused confusion, with many students believing there was an actual attack and fleeing the school premises in fear.
The panic quickly spread beyond the school, prompting worried parents to make urgent inquiries, while residents of nearby communities, including the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) Estate in Ojokoro, reacted to circulating social media reports.
In a statement, the LSDPC Estate Residents Association acknowledged that the exercise may have been intended as an educational role-play but criticised its execution, describing it as inappropriate given the current security climate.
The association said the teacher failed to inform school authorities, staff, and students about the planned dramatization, which included realistic special effects.
It stated that this lack of communication led to widespread panic within the school, as students rushed out believing there was a real threat.
Residents also confirmed that police were contacted immediately and that the situation was brought under control, adding that there was no actual security breach, kidnapping, or bandit attack.
Authorities maintained that the incident resulted from miscommunication rather than any genuine security threat and assured parents and residents that all students and staff were safe.
Meanwhile, when journalists visited the police station where the teacher was taken, the staff member was seen on the premises. However, the Divisional Police Officer declined to comment and directed inquiries to the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command for further details.
