The abductions on May 15 rocked Nigeria's typically calm southwest, where many had thought they were safe from the mass kidnappings by jihadists and "bandit" gangs that have long rattled the conflict-hit north of the country.
Gunmen abducted at least 46 pupils and staff in a raid on three schools in Oyo state, in what the army called a jihadist attack.
A month later, with the pupils still in captivity, false claims about the headline-dominating incident have found foothold on social media -- just as Africa's most populous country heads for what is expected to be a contentious general election in January.
One false claim said an abducted student had been killed.
"The command has responded to not less than 15 misleading publications," Oyo police spokesman Olushola Alayande told AFP.
"A recurring pattern involves the circulation of sensational claims, recycled videos from unrelated incidents and speculative narratives presented as facts," he said.
Misinformation itself has also turned deadly.
In Lagos, the economic capital, a 24-year-old motorcyclist was killed by a mob after a false claim circulated that bandits were invading the city. Fifteen people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking a second term in the January election, has repeatedly been the subject of fabricated content.
Earlier this month, a viral audio clip appeared to feature him threatening to allow insecurity to...
June 15, 2026 — In an important decision that could have implications for AI liability and government regulation, a German court has found Google directly liable for harm caused by false statement...