Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has ignited a fresh wave of outrage with an explosive allegation that the Oyo State Government paid a ransom to secure the release of 39 abducted pupils and seven teachers, but the kidnappers collected the money and refused to free the victims, who have now spent 49 days in captivity.
In a video shared online on Thursday, July 2, 2026, VeryDarkMan claimed he received information that the state government had made a payment to the bandits holding the victims hostage since their abduction on May 15, 2026. "Yesterday, I got information that the Oyo State Government paid ransom for the release of the 39 children and seven teachers that were abducted by bandits. It is said that after the government made the payment, the kidnappers still refused to release the children and teachers. As of today, they have spent exactly 49 days in captivity," he said.
The allegation has not been confirmed by the Oyo State Government, and officials have yet to issue an official statement addressing the claim. The government had earlier maintained that it was engaged in negotiations with the abductors, with Governor Seyi Makinde assuring the public that security agencies were working tirelessly to secure the victims' release. However, VeryDarkMan's latest claim has cast a shadow over the government's handling of the crisis, with many Nigerians questioning whether a ransom was indeed paid and why the victims remain in captivity despite the alleged payment.
The abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed gunmen launched coordinated attacks on three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, including Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele. The attackers killed one teacher, Michael Oyedokun, and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers, including Principal Rachael Alamu. The victims, some as young as two years old, were whisked into the dense forests of the Old Oyo National Park, where they have remained ever since.
The abduction sparked nationwide outrage, triggered a month-long strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and prompted the Federal Government to approve the deployment of 1,000 forest rangers. Governor Makinde imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on 10 local government areas bordering the national park, which was later lifted. Despite these measures, the victims remain in captivity, with families growing increasingly desperate and frustrated.
VeryDarkMan's allegation has drawn mixed reactions on social media. Some Nigerians expressed outrage at the government's alleged failure to secure the victims' release despite paying a ransom, while others questioned the credibility of the activist's claims, noting that he did not provide evidence to support his allegation. "If the government paid ransom and the kidnappers still refused to release them, then we have a bigger problem," one user commented. Another wrote, "VDM you need rest seriously. Who you're fighting for doesn't value it."
The Oyo State Government has not publicly confirmed or denied the alleged ransom payment. The police had earlier stated that they were unaware of any ransom demand, with the South-West Coordinating Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, saying, "We don't know anything about ransom because we don't talk about ransom." However, the government's silence on VeryDarkMan's latest claim has only deepened public anxiety and fuelled speculation about the true state of the rescue efforts.
As the 49-day mark passes, the families of the abducted victims continue to wait in anguish, their hopes fading with each passing day. The question on everyone's lips remains: if a ransom was indeed paid, why are the children and their teachers still not home? And if no ransom was paid, what is the government's strategy to secure their release? For now, the answers remain elusive, and the people of Oyo State are left to wonder whether their government has failed them once again.
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