- Safiu Kehinde
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the attack and abduction of scores of church worshippers by suspected bandits in Kaduna state while defending the initial dismissal of the incident by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Muhammadu Rabiu.
The bandits had reportedly attacked some churches at Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area on Sunday, abducting over 100 worshippers.
Reacting in a joint statement with the officials of the affected local government, Rabiu had claimed that reported abduction of worshippers was false.
Rabiu described the report as “mere falsehood being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos.”
Meanwhile, subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources would confirm that the incident was not false.
Defending the police commissioner in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, held that comment by Rabiu over the alleged abduction of some Church worshippers in the state was not a denial of the incident.
Hundeyin said upon receiving the report of the incident, the Kaduna State Security Council was immediately convened by Gov. Uba Sani.
He said some individuals from the affected local government area disputed the report earlier confirmed by the police and described it as false.
“This created uncertainty and reinforced the need for caution and thorough verification by the police and other security agencies before making conclusive public statements on such a sensitive matter.
“In this context, comments made by the CP during a media interaction were intended to prevent unnecessary panic while facts were being confirmed.
“Those remarks, which have since been widely misinterpreted, were not a denial of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field, including the identities and number of those affected,” he said.
The police spokesman said subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources had confirmed that the incident was not false.
He said the Nigeria Police Force had activated coordinated security operations, working closely with other security agencies, with a clear focus on locating and safely rescuing the victims and restoring calm to the area.
Hundeyin said the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, had directed the full deployment of critical operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and surrounding communities.
According to him, these efforts, include deployment of tactical units as well as intensified patrols already in place, targeted search-and-rescue operations, and proactive measures to protect lives and property.
Hundeyin called for patience and cooperation from the public and the media.
He urged the public to rely on the official police communications for verified information and to avoid speculation or sensational reporting that could jeopardise ongoing operations or heighten public anxiety.