El-Rufai holds meeting on Kaduna-Abuja road as enhanced patrols begin

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday summoned the Kaduna State Security Council to assess the situation on Kaduna-Abuja and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari roads.

At the end of the meeting presided over by Governor El-Rufai via teleconference from Dakar, Senegal police and other security agencies are said to have commenced reinforcement of their presence on the major expressways leading in and out of Kaduna State.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Police Command has debunked the rumour going viral on social media that, about 30 persons were kidnapped along Kaduna-Abuja express way.

A statement by Governor El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Mr. Samuel Aruwan said the security council had taken serious measures to addressed the challenges in the state.

Aruwan disclosed that, the governor presided over the meeting via teleconference from Dakar, Senegal, where he had accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to.

Present at the meeting according to tye statement were Brigadier General OJ. Akpor, Garrison Commander I Division, Air Commodore I. Sani, Base Commander, Assistant  Commissioner of Police AT Abdullahi, State Director Department of State Services, Ahmed Idris Koya, Modu Bunu, Commandant Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Secretary to the State Government, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, DIG Murtala Abbas, Special Adviser on Internal Security, Adamu Mansur, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs and Special Services and Samuel Aruwan, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity.

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“The Kaduna State Security Council appealed for calm, assuring citizens plying the Abuja-Kaduna and  Kaduna-Birnin Gwari roads of robust security patrols on the resolutions adopted for immediate implementation.

“The meeting assured residents that the government will continue to partner with security agencies operating in the state towards the protection of life and property of the citizenry. Further details of the meeting were not made public to avoid undermining security measures.

“The Security Council released the following helplines for citizens to contact security agencies: 09034000060, 08170189999.” The statement read.

Meanwhile, the police in their own statement earlier issued by the command’s PPRO, ASP Yakubu Sabo refuted the claim of kidnapping of 30 people on Kaduna-Abuja road as fake, saying that the report was fictitiously fabricated by some miscreants to create panic in the minds of unsuspecting citizens who ply the road for their legitimate businesses.

The police said, “The attention of the Kaduna Police Command has been drawn to a fake story going round on social media to the effect that about thirty (30) people have been kidnapped along Abuja-Kaduna expressway on Tuesday and their vehicles abandoned by the road side.

“The Command wishes to unequivocally refute the story as fake fictitiously fabricated by some unpatriotic elements to create panic in the minds of  unsuspecting citizens who ply the road for their legitimate businesses.

“However, it is unfortunate that this fake news coincided with a sad incident yesterday 01/04/2019, when   on at about 1830hrs some Armed Men at a point near Gidan Visa along Abuja-Kaduna expressway intercepted a Toyota Hilux with REG NO. CT 01 AF belonging to the Judiciary, open fire on the vehicle in the process of which one  Mshelia Sulaiman was injured and took away the occupants.

“Patrol Teams within the axis quickly moved to the scene,  rescued the injured person  and rushed him to the hospital. Combine team of opereatives from the Anti Kidnapping Unit, PMF and the Conventional Police have immediately been mobilized to the area for intensive general search operation with a view to rescue the victims and apprehend the culprits. The IGP’s IRT has alao been contacted for technical assistance. The operation is still on and update will follow please,” the statement read.