Following a panic in the Ojokoro area of Lagos State over false news of a bandit attack in a high school complex in the community, with parents rushing to the school premises to secure their wards, the state government has called for calm.

Speaking on the development, the Lagos State Education District 1, which oversees 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across the Agege, Alimosho, and Ifako-Ijaiye zones, assured that there was neither banditry nor kidnapping in the area, but miscommunication in an already volatile society.

The government explained that Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, which is one of four schools in the Ojokoro school complex, held its weekly co-recreational exercise, which usually utilises practical examples to ensure effective knowledge impartation.

It added that during the exercise, the supervising teaching staff over-dramatised the theme of the day in a practical demonstration to educate students on kidnapping and banditry.

The Guardian noted during a visit to the school premises during the incident that while the particular school where the recreational exercise was held is used to a certain practical teaching approach, the nature of the schooling environment posed a challenge to a distinct approach to teaching in the current atmosphere.

The authorities explained that the dramatisation included the use of a truck which swept in and mimicked the use of paramilitary ordinance, with relevant bandit gear and mannerisms. It added that what ensued was panic.

Consequently, some parents also panicked, frantically inquiring about their children who had only left home about when the news broke, while residents of the environs, including the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) Estate, Ojokoro, also reacted to the news spreading on social media.

According to the Residents Association of the LSDPC Estate close to the school complex, while the educative role-play was aimed at stimulating realism, the effort was ill-timed and a mismatched initiative, given the current security climate in the country.

“Furthermore, the teacher failed to inform the school authority, other staff, and the rest of the student body about his proposed drama, which included the use of realistic special effects. This lack of communication resulted in severe panic within the school,” the body said.

“In the ensuing rush to escape what they believed to be a real threat, a large number of students fled into our estate, causing the rowdiness and alarm that many witnessed.

“We want to assure all residents that there was no actual security breach, kidnapping or bandit attack within or around our estate. The police were immediately contacted and are fully involved. The teacher responsible for the false alarm has been taken to the police station for questioning, and the situation has been completely brought under control.”

When The Guardian visited the Police station where the teacher was taken, our correspondent saw the teaching staff seated behind the counter. However, the Divisional Police Officer turned down an inquiry about the situation, referring The Guardian to the Police Force Public Relations Officer. (The Guardian)