Police dismiss alleged kidnap of 30 people along Abuja-Kaduna expressway

The Kaduna state Police Command says the report on alleged kidnap of 30 people along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway is fake news.

The command’s Public Relations’ Officer, Yakubu Sabo, stated this in a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday.

Sabo said the attention of the command was drawn to the fake news going round on social media to the effect that about 30 people were kidnapped along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on April 1 and their vehicles abandoned by the road side.

“The command wishes to unequivocally refute the story as fake news fictitiously fabricated by some unpatriotic elements to create panic in the minds of unsuspecting citizens who ply the road for their legitimate businesses.

“It is unfortunate that the fake news coincided with a sad incident of April 1, when at about 1830hrs, some armed men at a point near Gidan Visa along the expressway intercepted a Toyota Hilux with registration number CT 01 AF belonging to the judiciary and opened fire on the vehicle.

“In the process, one Mshelia Sulaiman was injured and they took away the occupants. Patrol teams within the axis quickly moved to the scene, rescued the injured person and rushed him to the hospital,” he said.

Sabo also disclosed that a combined team of operatives from the anti-kidnapping unit, police mobile force and conventional policemen were immediately mobilized to the area for intensive general search operation with a view to rescuing the victims and apprehending the culprits.

“A bank teller bearing the name of a possible victim and two foot wears were recovered in the Hilux and have since been taken to the police station. While the operation is still on, investigation on the incident has also commenced.

“The command appeals to members of the public to support the police with relevant information on the where about of these and other suspected criminals with a view to curbing the menace of banditry and other related crimes in the state,” Sabo said.