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…Say more than 30 persons still in kidnappers’ den
From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Three out of several people allegedly abducted along Kaduna-Abuja express road recently have bemoaned the inability of the Nigerian Police Force to do anything tangible to secure the road for citizens despite several reported cases of kidnapping on the road.
The survivors, who were led to the Kaduna secretariat of Nigerian Union of Journalists by former vice president, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Danjuma Sarki, yesterday described the denial of Kaduna Police command that only two persons were kidnapped as shameful.
The police in Kaduna had on Friday, in a statement signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Ahmad Abdulrahaman, debunked the report that over 20 people traveling along Abuja-Kaduna road were abducted.
“A story is being circulated on the internet and through some print media about the purported kidnapping of 20 persons at Akilibu village along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
“Although, the command recorded an incident where five persons driving along Kaduna-Abuja expressway in a Toyota Camry were attacked, three of them were robbed and two others kidnapped and taken to unknown destination. When the report reached us, the Command’s technical and human resources were deployed to ensure the rescue of the two victims and the arrest of the culprits.”
But Danjuma hinted that, he and some of his concerned friends had on Thursday, reported the matter at the command, after the news broke out and the police promised to investigate and ensure the release of the captives.
“To our greatest shock, instead of doing the needful, the Kaduna State Police Command decided to debunk it through a press statement, describing it as false, claiming that there was no truth in the story, that it was misleading.
“Though, we suspected this ab initio, due to the manner they treated our report by claiming not to have received any complaint or report from any quarters or their men covering those areas.
“However, we told them we were there to formally report the matter, that was when the same DCP Abdulrahaman later owned up to us that the Divisional Police Officer of Kateri Division informed them after receiving a call during a meeting they held on kidnapping on the same axis on Wednesday, 7th June, 2017 at the Force headquarters.
“These actions gave birth to our total loss of confidence in the police to investigate the matter, which led to our refusal to contact them when we established contact with the kidnappers.
“We wish to categorically and unequivocally reaffirm that the incident is true with physical proof. Despite several payments of ransom and releases of some victims as at yesterday night, there are still more than 30 people in their captivity.
“We want to reiterate here that no one is safe on Kaduna-Abuja expressway due to the nonchalant attitude and lack of commitment from our security agencies and the government.”
Danjuma further expressed worry that despite the deployment of 510 anti-riot policemen backed with 40 patrol vehicles and armoured personnel carriers on Abuja-Kaduna express way, which was expected to man dark spots and vulnerable points in the area, the spate of kidnapping has degenerated to an intolerable level on high way.
“It is so sad that the Kaduna State Police Command is not perturbed about the security of lives and properties of Nigerians, rather they are more concerned about their image as a result of their inefficiency in tackling security challenges in the state, hence the level of crime and criminality in the state.
“The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna has steadily exposed his incompetence and unprofessionalism in the discharge of his responsibility. We strongly believe that he lacks the capacity to superintend over Kaduna police command and we are calling on the Inspector General of Police to transfer him out of the state,” Danjuma said.
