- Says no such incident occurred in Abuja
Amid growing panic on social media, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has broken its silence on rumours that a serving military officer, Colonel Abdussalam A. Ude, was attacked and killed by suspected kidnappers in Abuja, clarifying that the unfortunate incident reportedly occurred in neighbouring Nasarawa State.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said investigations revealed that the incident took place in Badna, New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, contrary to claims that the gunmen breached the nation capital’s security.
The Command said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation after the reports surfaced online to ascertain the true circumstances surrounding the incident, adding that findings confirmed that the alleged attack did not occur within the jurisdiction of the FCT Police Command.
While expressing concern over what it described as the deliberate misrepresentation of the incident by some blogs and media platforms, the Command alleged that attributing the attack to the FCT was more of an attempt by some platforms to attract public attention.
The Command cautioned that such unconfirmed reports can unnecessarily create panic, heighten public anxiety and misinform residents of the nation’s capital, adding that to strengthen security, the FCT Police boss has directed the immediate deployment of operational and intelligence assets to border communities between the FCT and Nasarawa State to prevent criminal elements from infiltrating Abuja or carrying out any unlawful activities within the territory.
This is as the Command also condemned the dissemination of unverified security reports and urged media organisations, bloggers and social media users to verify information with relevant authorities before publication, stressing that the spread of false information undermines public confidence in security agencies and fuels avoidable fear among residents.
Reassuring residents that adequate security measures remain in place across the capital city, the Command tasked members of the public to remain calm, always vigilant and law-abiding while promptly reporting suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines.
