The Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Police Command have dismissed reports of alleged bandit attacks in parts of the state, describing the claims as false and unverified.

The rumours, which spread across communities in Eleko and Imota on Monday, triggered panic among parents, many of whom rushed to schools to pick up their children after messages circulated claiming that bandits had invaded the areas.

In Eleko, located in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, several schools reportedly asked parents to collect their wards as fears of a possible attack heightened anxiety within the community.

One parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said school authorities contacted families and advised them to take their children home following reports of suspected bandit activity in the area.

The situation was further fueled by claims aired during a live call-in programme on a broadcast station, where callers alleged that bandits had attacked a public school in Imota Local Council Development Area and killed two schoolgirls.

However, school authorities and local government officials quickly refuted the claims.

The Headmaster of LG Nursery and Primary School, Agbowa, Mr. Odumeru Adekunle, explained that the alarm stemmed from an accident rather than any security breach.

Also reacting, the Chairman of Imota LCDA, Benson Ayodele, described the reports as false and misleading.

In a statement, Ayodele said there was no verified report, official record, or credible security intelligence confirming any bandit attack or related incident within the council area.

He warned residents against spreading unverified information, noting that such reports could create unnecessary panic and fear among the public.

The broadcast station later apologised for airing the allegations without proper verification, admitting that information received from callers during the programme was broadcast in the urgency to inform the public without confirmation from security agencies or community leaders.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command also dismissed the claims. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the alleged attack as false and assured residents that the command would investigate the viral videos and reports circulating online before issuing further details.

The police urged residents to remain calm and rely only on verified information from official sources regarding security matters in the state.