False! Viral photos of abused children unrelated to Oyo school kidnapping

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Juliet Buna

Claim: Facebook user, Alexander Pius, shared images claiming to show the kidnapped Oriire school children beaten by abductors.

Verdict: False. The images being circulated are unrelated to the kidnapping of children and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The images date back to 2020. 

Full Text

Gunmen on motorcycles stormed multiple schools in Oriire Local Government Area, Ogbomoso (Baptist Nursery & Primary, Community Grammar School, LA Primary and others), shooting and abducting victims on May 15, 2026, abducting pupils, students, and teachers.

Following the incident, a Facebook user, Alexander Pius (archived link here), on May 22, 2026, shared some images which he claimed show the state of the children kidnapped in Oyo state last week. He said the children had been beaten up to induce pressure. 

The post’s caption reads, “On the 15th of May 2026, over 40 children and teachers were kidnapped from a school in Oriire LG, Oyo state. These are the children… beaten up to induce pressure. My heart bleeds. To the kidnappers… show mercy… these are innocent babies. Nigeria Police Force, HQ Nigerian Army step up!!!”

As of May 23, 2026, the post had garnered over 394 reactions, 222 comments, and 48 shares.

The claim was also reshared by other users on social media, including the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan.

The senator’s post was amplified here by Civic Media News (CMN) (find archived link here).

Some users expressed outrage and concern over the alleged treatment of the abducted children.

For instance, a user, Whyteman Dave, wrote, “Chai, God have mercy, what is the offence of these innocent children, that they went to school or what? Still at this point, the Federal Government folds her hands watching this gross evil…”

Another user, Apst Andy James, said, “When these terrorists are killed by the military, some sympathisers within the government and Islamic leaders will come out to condemn the government for killing their brothers.”

Also reacting to the post, Kehinde Ruth questioned reports surrounding the victims’ release, saying, “But let’s be honest, are these children released? Some bloggers said they have been released, but some said they haven’t.”

Similarly, Ruth Sani wrote, “Jesus Christ is Lord ooooo.”

Another user, Ibrahim Yetlim Hayatu, criticised the state of insecurity in the country, writing, 

“In a serious country that cares about the citizens, kidnapped victims won’t spend 72 hours in captivity. It is sad to see that this country is already a failed state. We pray they regain their freedom soonest and the perpetrators rot in hell.”

DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim due to its sensitivity, the spread of the narrative by influential persons and the ongoing concern surrounding the reported abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. 

Verification

DUBAWA conducted a reverse image search on the photographs attached to the viral post.

Our findings revealed that the images predate the Oriire kidnapping incident and have been online since 2020.

The images were traced to reports by news platforms here and here in Niger Republic where they were linked to a child abuse case involving Talibé (Almajiri) children.

This shows that the images have no connection to the kidnapping incident in Oriire LGA, Oyo State.

What we know so far about the Oriire LGA school abduction in Oyo State 

May 15, 2026 – Kidnapping occurs

Armed men attacked three schools in the Ahoro-Esinle/Yawota axis of Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso, abducting pupils, students, and teachers. The affected schools include: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinle, LEA Primary School, and Ahoro-Esinle. While initial reports suggested over 40 persons were abducted, three days later, the governor of the state, Seyi Makinde, confirmed that 32 individuals were kidnapped, with one teacher reportedly killed during the attack.

May 16, 2026 – Security response intensified

Governor Seyi Makinde addressed the worsening insecurity while inaugurating the state’s Violent Crimes Response Unit, describing the Oriire abduction as a painful incident troubling families and communities. Security agencies began coordinated rescue operations.

May 19, 2026 – Official breakdown of abductees released

Governor Makinde gave a clearer breakdown of the victims. He said 18 pupils were abducted from First Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and seven students and seven teachers were abducted from Community Secondary School. This brought the official total to 32 abductees.

The governor noted that an operational rescue centre was also set up at the Police Headquarters in Ibadan to coordinate efforts.

May 20, 2026 – Governor signs Executive Order on security groups

In response to growing insecurity, Makinde signed Executive Order No. 001 of 2026 regulating the registration, coordination, and operations of vigilante groups and other community-based security organisations in Oyo State.

The order, signed at the governor’s Kolapo Ishola residence in Ibadan, aimed at strengthening the state’s security architecture, improving coordination, and preventing unregulated security activities.

During the signing, Makinde referenced the ongoing Oriire abduction and thanked residents for cooperating with security agencies involved in rescue efforts.

May 21–23, 2026 – Rescue efforts continue

The Oyo State Government dismissed viral claims that the abducted children and teachers had been released, insisting rescue operations were still ongoing. Security agencies continued search-and-rescue operations as anxiety grew among affected families and communities

Conclusion

The claim that the images show children kidnapped from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State being beaten by abductors is false. Evidence shows the photographs are old images from a 2020 child abuse incident in Diffa, Niger Republic.