Report of kidnapping on Abuja-kaduna road misleading, says commissioner

The Kaduna state government says reports of kidnapping on the Abuja-Kaduna road are “false and misleading”.

Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna commissioner for internal security and home affairs, in a statement on Friday, said a newspaper published that bandits kidnapped scores of people on the Abuja-Kaduna road, noting that no incident occurred on the highway.

“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 LGAs across Kaduna and Niger states,” the statement reads.

“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.

“Contrary to the above, 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 5th April 2023 and kidnapped an unspecified number of occupants from two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf Wagon (Reg No. LGT228XA) and a Volkswagen Passat (Reg No. FSK556AV).

“The vehicles were subsequently found empty. 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.

“From available facts, the incident did not occur at Iche 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.”