•Say figures of killings, abduction in FCT misleading

The police in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have confirmed the arrest of 11 suspected kidnappers in the last one month.

The confirmation followed a trending video of daylight one-chance robbery, widely shared on various social media platforms, showing a scene where a man desperately held the door of a moving car.

The disturbing video, showing a victim of a one-chance robbery attempting to jump down from a fast-moving vehicle, had sent fears to residents.

Reacting, spokesperson for the command, Josephine Adeh, said the force was aware of the news making the rounds about abducted and kidnapped persons in FCT communities.

She, however, said data on reported killings and abduction in the city making the rounds, was misleading and false, just as insecurity in the seat of power remained unabated.

According to her, 11 suspected kidnappers have been arrested in the last one month.

“The Command can confirm that there were reported cases of abduction/kidnapping within the FCT, which heralded swift response from the police, who successfully rescued and reunited some of the abductees with their family members.

“Equally, the Command has arrested 11 kidnappers in the last one month, while investigation is ongoing. Some of the arrested kidnappers are assisting police to effect the arrests of fleeing members.

“The Command wishes to state that the figures in the news making the rounds are inaccurate and misleading, as it may incite panic in the public.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Haruna Garba, wishes to reiterate the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property, and ensuring residents sleep with their eyes closed.

“He equally advises those circulating misleading information to create the impression that there is a sense of insecurity in FCT to desist, saying they are not helping the issue.

“As a Nigerian, you have an obligation to partner with the police and other security agencies to make the city safer, instead of creating trepidation in the minds of the people. The FCT remains the safest place in the country.

“The CP urges members of the public to promptly report distress calls and complaints through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883.Additionally, the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB).”

Recall that residents of the FCT, Abuja, had been highly unsettled following widespread insecurity around the city centre and some outskirts, characterised by frequent and indiscriminate robbing and abduction of motorists and commuters.

The ugly situation is stalling nightlife in the bubbling city.

Some residents lamented that the FCT has become highly under-policed, with little or no visible policing operations going on.

Most times, a motorist can drive through the stretch of Ahmadu Bello Way, one of the longest roads in the city, without sighting a police patrol team. The agencies that are usually on rapid patrol are the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Vehicle Inspection Officers, who are not armed. (The Guardian)

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