(PRESS RELEASE)
The Kaduna State Police Command has rubbished a story making the rounds, especially on social media, claiming that about 30 people were kidnapped along Abuja-Kaduna expressway on Monday, and their vehicles abandoned by the road side.
A press release issued, Tuesday evening by the command’s public relations officer, Yakubu A. Sabo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, CSP, stated that:
- The Command wishes to unequivocally refute the story as fake fictitiously fabricated by some unpatriotic elements to create panic in the minds of unsuspecting citizens who ply the road for their legitimate businesses.
- However, it is unfortunate that this fake news coincided with a sad incident yesterday 01/04/2019, when at about 1830hrs some armed men at a point near Gidan Visa along Abuja-Kaduna expressway intercepted a Toyota Hilux with REG NO. CT 01 AF belonging to the Judiciary, open fire on the vehicle. In the process, one Mshelia Sulaiman was injured. The armed men also took away the occupants – a driver and two other ladies.
- Patrol Teams within the axis quickly moved to the scene, rescued the injured person and rushed him to the hospital. A combined team of operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, PMF and the conventional police were also immediately mobilized to the area for intensive general search operation, with a view to rescuing the victims and apprehending the culprits.
- The IGP’s IRT were also been contacted for technical assistance. A bank teller bearing the name of a possible victim and two foot wears were recovered in the said Hilux vehicle, which was driven to the Police station. While the operation was going on, investigation into the incident has also commenced.
- The command, then, appeals to members of the public to support the police with relevant information on the whereabouts of these and other suspected criminals with a view to curbing the menace of banditry and other related crimes in Kaduna State.