Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has urged residents to disregard reports claiming that there was kidnappers hideout within Abuja.
Reports purporting that kidnappers’ hideout was uncovered opposite the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in the Central Business District, Abuja had earlier surfaced on some online news platforms.
The hideout is said to be located inside thick bush off the expressway.
According to the report, security agents were said to have invaded the hideout and arrested one of the suspected kidnappers.
A video taken at the scene which has gone viral on social media has a background voice of a man saying “imagine within FCT, Abuja is no longer safe, sincerely speaking. Just imagine at the middle of offices, inside this bush, Kidnappers hideout, that is where they just catch one of them.”
Another voice in video recounted how he was attacked when his car broke down near the spot sometime ago.
“There is a day that my car has problem around here, they will come as if they want to assist and they will attack you,” he said.
A Twitter user also said: “Talk of being FAR or NEAR ahead of Terrorists. Kidnappers was given a hot chase just “adjacently” opposite @PoliceNG headquarters (EDET HOUSE). A woman was rescued in a hut in that little bush by the bridge. 1 of the boys was caught but Police whisked him away to avoid mob action.
However, the Command’s Spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, said the news is false, disregarding the news suggesting the place to be a criminal den, noting that the particular place was raided by the Police at Central Police station.
She asserted that Shanties were destroyed while 4 suspects were arrested, and the suspects will be profiled and erring persons will be charged to court.
She said, “Yesterday 2nd August 2022, we promised residents that there will be voracious Intelligence gathering and Intelligence-led raids among other security measures.
“The FCT Police today commenced raids on untended bushes and abandoned structures within the city center and suburbs. We have only just begun.
“Members of the public will witness heavy visibility policing and an in-out sweep of the Territory. While at that we urge the good people of the Territory to be well informed, exercise calm bearing in mind that it is the Police at work, to eschew the promulgation of panic erupting news with misplaced facts such as witnessed in the video above, and to support the police with useful information.
“The arrested persons will be screened and profiled while erring parties will be charged to court.”
