By Okon Okon
The Police in Akwa Ibom, have described as false, the rumoured kidnap of some students of a particular school in Oron Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that panic erupted on Friday in the locality when some students of Ever Bright Star Academy, were said to have been allegedly kidnapped.
NAN gathered that a student of Mary Hanney Girls Secondary School, located beside Ever Bright Star Academy, had claimed she heard a gunshot from the Academy and alleged that kidnappers had taken some students away.
The rumour triggered fear among students in schools within the area, causing some of them to flee their classrooms.
Responding, the police command through its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, advised members of the public to disregard the news as it was fake.
According to John, the command received information that bandits have allegedly broken into Marry Hanney Girls Secondary and Ever Bright Star Academy Oron and abducted some students after a serious stampede, leaving some dead.
She said that the command promptly deployed some personnel to the scene.
“From the report gotten from the officers who visited the scene, the information was false,” she said.
Also, findings by NAN correspondents who visited both schools revealed that the information was false.
Speaking with NAN, Mr Lawrence Esang, Principal, Ever Bright Star Academy, dismissed the report as fake.
According to him, the information that some of our students have been kidnapped is false. I supervised the school gates this morning until after 9 a.m., when the exam bell rang. Nothing like that happened.
“The students are writing their exams peacefully. We invited the police when we saw many parents trooping into the compound so they could help calm the situation. Everywhere is peaceful now.”
A parent, Mrs Margaret Akanekpe, said she rushed to the school immediately after hearing the rumour.
“When I arrived, I did not see anything. There was no casualty, no problem. The environment is peaceful,” she said.
Another parent, Mrs Affiong Jerry, whose child attends Mary Hanney Girls Secondary School, said she panicked on hearing the rumour but was relieved to find no incident at the school when she arrived.
The Zonal Director of Education for Oron and Urue Offong/Oruko LGAs, Mr Isaiah Okwong who was also seen on ground, described the rumour as unfounded.
“All our students are complete. The student who started the rumour has been identified and will be sanctioned on Monday.
“We have locked in the boarders and released other students to their parents to reduce tension,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker
