The Kaduna State government has refuted a report claiming that bandits kidnapped a large number of passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna highway. In a statement issued by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the government stated that the report was untrue and deceptive.
The statement clarified that no such incident took place on the highway, which spans five LGAs across Kaduna and Niger. It contradicted the report’s claim that bandits had abducted many travelers after shooting at motorists in the Ichie Community, located several kilometers away from Kagarko town along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
The statement revealed that the security agencies and the Kagarko Local Government Council reported that armed men had blocked the Gwaje village axis of the Kagarko-Jere Road on April 5th, 2023, and kidnapped an unspecified number of passengers from two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf Wagon (Reg No. LGT228XA) and Volkswagen Passat (Reg No. FSK556AV). The vehicles were later found empty.
Furthermore, the statement stated that the coordinates of the site of the occurrence (Gwaje village) are 9°29’34?N 7°39’18?E, indicating that it is nowhere near or off the Abuja-Kaduna Highway as previously claimed.
The Kaduna State Government expressed its dissatisfaction with the misleading report, which had gained undue attention on social media and other platforms. The statement further stated that the government regarded inaccurate and misleading reports as a significant disservice to the campaign against banditry, which security personnel are risking their lives to fight.
Finally, the Kaduna State Government reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of its citizens and is monitoring closely all security-related issues with security agencies.
