By Ogochukwu Isioma
Contrary to media reports, the Governor Nasir el-Rufai-led Kaduna State Government has said that there is no recent incident of bandits kidnapping scores of passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
The Kaduna State government made the clarification in a statement issued by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, and made available to newsmen on Friday, in Kaduna.
He described the social media report as false and misleading, noting that no such incident occurred on the highway which straddles five Local Government Areas across Kaduna and Niger states.
Aruwan said contrary to the report, what was received from security agencies was that “gunmen barricaded the Gwaje village axis of the Kagarko-Jere Road on Wednesday 5th April 2023, and kidnapped an unspecified number of occupants from two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf Wagon (Reg No. LGT228XA) and Volkswagen Passat (Reg No. FSK556AV).”
According to him, the vehicles were subsequently found empty by the security operatives, following the incident.
He said the coordinates of the scene of the incident (Gwaje village) are 9°29’34″N 7°39’18″E, which gives a location nowhere close to, or even off the Abuja-Kaduna Highway as reported.
The commissioner added: “From available facts, the incident did not occur at Inch as reported by the media. The description which gives Kagarko town as being along the 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.
“The Kaduna State Government is following up closely with security agencies on all issues regarding security and safety of citizens”.
The disputed media report had claimed that 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.