The Kaduna State Government has confirmed that there was a bandits’ attack in the Kagarko Local Government Council after armed men barricaded the Gwaje village axis of the Kagarko-Jere Road.
There was report in some sections of the media that claimed scores of travellers were abducted after bandits opened fire on motorists in Iche community, some few kilometres away from Kagarko town along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Although the government didn't refute that the incident took place, it said that the attributing incident to have occurred along Abuja-Kaduna Highway was false and misleading, "as no such incident occurred on the highway which straddles five local government areas across Kaduna and Niger states."
The State Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement on Friday, described the report as misleading, expressing the displeasure of government over the report which he said had unfortunately gained undue traction on social media and beyond.
Aruwan explained, "Contrary to the above, reports received from security agencies and the Kagarko Local Government Council indicated that armed men barricaded the Gwaje village axis of the Kagarko-Jere Road on Wednesday 5th April 2023, and kidnapped an unspecified number of occupants from two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf Wagon (Reg No. LGT228XA) and Volkswagen Passat (Reg No. FSK556AV). The vehicles were subsequently found empty.
"The coordinates of the scene of the incident (Gwaje village) are 9°29'34"N 7°39'18"E, which give a location nowhere close to, or even off the Abuja-Kaduna Highway as reported.
"From available facts, the incident did not occur at Iche as reported by the media. The description which gives Kagarko town as being along Abuja-Kaduna highway is likewise inaccurate."
The Commissioner noted that Malam Nasir El-Rufai administration views inaccurate and misleading reports as a major disservice to the campaign against banditry being prosecuted by officers and men of security forces, at the risk of their very lives.
"The Kaduna State Government is following up closely with security agencies on all issues regarding security and safety of citizens," he said.