By Desire Emmanuel
A misinformation and false alarm circulated among students and further amplified by unverified online reports about invasion by bandits caused pandemonium at the Girls’ Secondary School, Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, Delta State, on Monday, November 24.
The school was said to have been thrown into confusion around 9:30 a.m., as students fled into different directions following unfounded reports about gunshots that were said to have been heard inside the school premises.
However, following the alarm raised and the distress call received, men of the state police command were said to have raised to the scene, and after combing the school and its surrounding, it was discovered to be a false alarm.
According to the command in a statement on Monday night, their investigation revealed that the panic originated from misinformation circulated among students and was further amplified by some online platforms suggesting community anxiety and alleged gunshots.
It added that the Divisional Crime Officer of Kwale Police Station led a patrol team for on-the-ground verification and security assessment and the team interviewed the Vice Principal of the school and the security man on duty who said nothing of such happened in the school.
The command wrote: “As a precautionary measure, adjoining schools within the Kwale axis were visited and all were found to be calm, safe and were conducting their normal academic activities.
“Parents who rushed to pick up their children were advised to remain calm, as the earlier rumour has been decisively addressed and normalcy has been fully restored.”
