By Modupe Bankole
The Oyo State Government has launched an internal mechanism to track and counter fake news within the education sector, following investigations that debunked the viral claim that students of Soun High School, Ogbomoso, beat their teacher, Mr. Adegoke Fatai Abiodun, to death.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Olusegun Olayiwola, disclosed this after an emergency meeting of education stakeholders held at the ministry’s headquarters in Ibadan on Monday.
The meeting, which brought together top officials of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and school principals across Ogbomosoland, resolved to establish a rapid-response communication unit to verify and address sensitive reports affecting schools before they spread online.
According to findings presented at the meeting, the late teacher’s death was due to bone marrow cancer diagnosed at Stage 4, and not a result of any student attack as alleged in a viral social media post. The report revealed that Mr. Adegoke sustained a dislocated arm while trying to discipline a student caught gambling on May 28, 2025 — an incident that occurred months before his demise on November 4, 2025.
Commissioner Olayiwola said the government would henceforth engage head teachers and zonal education officers as first responders to prevent misinformation that could endanger the teaching profession.
“The speed at which lies travel on social media is alarming. We have agreed to strengthen communication between schools and the ministry so that no incident is misrepresented again,” he said.
The Commissioner added that the state government, in partnership with the NUT, will soon release a guideline for handling crisis communication in schools, urging media outlets to verify sensitive claims before publication.
Also speaking, Oyo NUT Chairman, Comrade Raji Oladimeji, said the false report nearly sparked unrest among teachers across the state.
“We were forced to convene emergency meetings because of the tension that fake news caused. Our union members deserve protection from such damaging misinformation,” he stated.
The Principal of Soun High School, Mr. Adeyinka Ajayi, who narrated the true sequence of events, confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against the four students caught gambling but clarified that none of them attacked the deceased.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has dispatched a delegation to condole with the bereaved family, while advising teachers to always report any health challenges early through official channels.
The state government reiterated its commitment to transparency and teacher welfare, warning against weaponizing social media to spread falsehoods that could undermine public confidence in the education system.
