No One Was Kidnapped In Kaduna-Abuja Highway, Says Police

The Kaduna State Police Command on Friday urged the public to disregard an alleged fake media report on the purported kidnap of 50 people by armed bandits along Kaduna-Abuja highway.

The command Deputy Public Relations Officer, ASP Nafiu Habib made this known in a press statement issued in Kaduna.

He said that the report published by a Hausa language newspaper in which it said the incident occurred on Thursday, was totally false.

“The Command is categorically stating that the story in its entirety is fake news, not credible, and should be disregarded and discountenanced by the public.”

Habib explained that the security of Kaduna-Abuja road has been well reviewed and enhanced on the directive of the Commissioner of Police Ahmad Abdur-Rahman.

“Kaduna-Abuja road is safe for users,” Habib said, adding that the command had deployed additional personnel to all the identified flashpoints along the road.

He warned that it’s  a crime under the penal and criminal code laws to circulate falsehood with intent to mislead the public and cause panic.

He therefore urged the public to ignore the story as it was “ill-motivated and intentionally orchestrated to cause unnecessary panic and undermine the giant strides of the present leadership of the Force” in protecting lives and property of citizens.

“The Command will no longer tolerate or condone deliberate mischief and reckless publications aimed at defaming and derogating the integrity of the Force from any individuals or groups,” he added.

Habib stressed that the full weight of the law would be aggressively applied to protect the good image of the Command.

“The Command is assuring the media of its continuous cooperation in guaranteeing public safety and security across the State.”