By Kamil Opeyemi
The Kaduna State Government, has debunked the report of kidnapping on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway describing as “false and misleading”.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, debunked the story in a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna.
Aruwan said a report published today by a newspaper, alleging that bandits kidnapped scores of citizens on the Abuja-Kaduna Highway is false and misleading, as no such incident occurred on the highway which straddles five Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Kaduna and Niger states.
“An excerpt from the inaccurate report with the headline ‘Bandits Abduct Travellers On Abuja-Kaduna Highway’ reads: “Scores of travellers were abducted after bandits opened fire on motorists in Iche community, some few kilometres away from Kagarko town, along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.”
He said contrary to the story, reports received from security agencies and the Kagarko Local Government Council indicated that armed men barricaded the Gwaje village axis of the Kagarko-Jere Road on Wednesday, April 5, and kidnapped an unspecified number of occupants from two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf Wagon, (Reg No. LGT 228 XA) and Volkswagen Passat (Reg No. FSK 556 AV).
“The vehicles were subsequently found empty,” he said.
According to him, the coordinates of the scene of the incident (Gwaje village) are 9°29’34″N 7°39’18″E, which gave a location nowhere close to or even off the Abuja-Kaduna Highway as reported.
He added that, from available facts, the incident did not occur at Iche as reported by the media.
“The description which gives Kagarko town as being along Abuja-Kaduna highway is likewise inaccurate.
“The Kaduna state government expresses its displeasure over the misleading piece of reportage which has unfortunately gained undue traction on social media and beyond.
“The government views inaccurate and misleading reports as a major disservice to the campaign against banditry being prosecuted by officers and men of security forces, at the risk of their very lives,” he said.
The Commissioner said government is following up closely with security agencies on all issues regarding security and safety of citizens.