THE Kogi State Police Command has refuted reports circulating on social media alleging that passengers were abducted along the Kabba-Okene Road on June 17, describing the claims as inaccurate and misleading.
In a statement issued today, the command’s spokesperson, SP Oyiza Salisu, clarified that no kidnapping incident occurred on the route as widely reported online.
According to Salisu, the incident involved a commercial vehicle transporting cocoyam from Kabba to Ibilo.
She explained that at about 9 p.m., the driver, identified as Ojo, noticed unusual lights ahead while travelling and attempted to turn back.
She said the driver became alarmed when he observed some individuals approaching and subsequently abandoned the vehicle before running to a nearby military checkpoint for safety.
The police spokesperson stressed that no passengers were involved in the incident and that no one was abducted or injured.
“It is important to state clearly that there were no passengers in the vehicle at the time, and no person was kidnapped or harmed,” she stated.
Salisu further noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the vehicle had developed an electrical fault, which contributed to the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the command, the goods being transported were later transferred to another vehicle and successfully delivered to their destination without any further issues.
She noted that the matter was handled at the military checkpoint and was not formally reported to the police because there was no criminal activity, casualty, or kidnapping involved.
The police urged members of the public to disregard reports suggesting that armed bandits attacked the vehicle or abducted passengers, insisting that such accounts do not reflect the true situation.
The command also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of creating unnecessary panic among residents and road users.
