Sokoto government and Gamji College deny report that 18 students were abducted

Sokoto State officials and leaders of Gamji College of Health Technology have rejected media claims that 18 students from the institution were kidnapped while en route to Oyo State.

In separate statements on Monday, the state government and the college’s management said no student of the Sokoto institution had been taken. News organisations in the state reported the denials after an online outlet published the allegation earlier in the day.

What was reported and who disputed it

An online publication alleged that a group of students had been abducted while travelling in a chartered vehicle from Sokoto to Oyo. That allegation prompted responses from local authorities and the college. Officials told reporters they had investigated the claim and found no evidence that any student from Gamji College had been abducted.

The state government issued a public clarification and the college management echoed that position, stating that none of their students were victims of kidnapping. Multiple local news outlets covered the denials and noted that the original abduction claim came from the online report.

Why the clarification matters

Claims of mass abductions feed public anxiety about safety on inter-state roads and the security of schoolchildren and students. In regions that have experienced attacks and kidnappings in the past, such reports can spread quickly and prompt concern among families, communities and authorities.

Officials said they had carried out checks in response to the online allegation and urged members of the public and the media to rely on verified information from competent authorities. The college and state government statements were aimed at quelling panic and correcting the record.

Calls for careful reporting

The episode highlights the role of verification before publication. Local news outlets that reported the official denials described the original claim as coming from the online platform. The college and government reiterated that no students were missing or taken.

What remains unclear

News outlets that covered the story reported the denials and cited the original report as the source of the abduction claim. Beyond the initial allegation by the online outlet and the subsequent denials from Sokoto authorities and the college, no independent confirmation of any abduction has been reported.

Officials have not provided additional details about how the investigation was conducted or whether any follow-up steps will be taken against those who spread the false report. As with all such incidents, authorities and institutions urged the public to await verified updates from official channels.

Why this is significant

Accurate information is critical in sensitive security situations. Rapid corrections from state and institutional leaders aim to prevent misinformation from causing unnecessary alarm among students’ families and the wider community.