Presidency claims viral photos of ‘maltreated’ Oyo schoolchildren are 2020 images from Mali

Abdullateef Fowewe

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has dismissed widely shared images purported to show recently kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, saying the pictures actually date from June 2020 and were taken in Mali.

“Some of the images being shared as those of the kidnapped schoolkids of Oyo state were of maltreated kids in Mali,” Onanuga wrote, citing an analysis by Africa54Research.

He said the photos show talibé students being flogged by a teacher in Mali and have been recycled on social media to mislead the public.

Onanuga warned that “the distributors of the images are most probably terrorists’ sympathisers, out to sow fears in our society and paint the government and the security forces black, as the government is making efforts to get the kids and their teachers released,” attributing the finding to Africa54Research’s verification work.

His post sparked criticism from some users and commentators who argued that the statement focused on debunking misinformation rather than offering fresh information about the kidnapped children’s welfare or detailing government steps to secure their release.

Africa54Research’s analysis, referenced by Onanuga, identifies the original photos as taken in Mali in June 2020.

The attribution is intended to correct the record as security agencies continue operations related to the Oyo kidnappings.