The Rivers State Police Command, on Tuesday, distanced itself from the report by Nation Newspaper, which alleged that 18 passengers were abducted along East-West Road on Monday.
Nnamdi Omoni, the Command’s Spokesman in a statement made available to theportcitynews, said that no one was abducted as reported by Nation Newspaper.
Giving details of what transpired along the road on Monday, Omoni said that the report was a far cry from what actually happened.
He also described the report as fake news.
Omoni said:
The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a screaming headline on the Nation Newspaper of today Tuesday 6″ August 2019 credited to Rosemary Nwizi, the Port Harcourt correspondent, with the false claim “that gunmen hijacked 18 passengers in a Commercial Bus along the East/West Road, in Emohua Local Government Area.
The above Caption’ on the front page of the Nation Newspaper is false, misleading and a far cry from what happened at Rumuodogo Axis of the East/West Road yesterday, 5/8/2019.
The Command is disturbed by this disparaging News Report and
therefore wishes to state the true position as follows-1. That to the best of our knowledge, there was neither reported case of
Kidnap nor hijack of a Commercial Bus yesterday at the East/West Road as reported by the Nation Newspaper.2. Recall that yesterday, Monday 5/8/2019 at about 0745hrs, Operatives of the Command’s new security outfit, code-named, OPERATION STING foiled an attempt to hijack an Eighteen Seater
Bus heading to Lagos. The Police Team responded to a distress call at Rumuodogo axis of the East/West Road, in Emohua Local Government Area, where hoodlums emerged from the bush and opened fire on a moving BUS.The swift response of the Police
Team to the scene saved the situation, as the hoodlums on sighting the Police, opened fire and ran into the bush. They were however given a hot chase into the bush where three of them were fatally wounded, while five arrested alive. Their camp was raided while a Police Camouflage and pieces of 9 mm live Ammunition recovered.3. The passengers were immediately transferred to another Bus
since the tyres of the former Bus got burst during the attack.4. The five Kidnappers arrested are helping us in our Investigation, as efforts have been intensified to arrest other members of the gang.
I hereby refer to my Press Release of 5” August, 2019 titled: “RIVERS COMMAND FOILED KIDNAP ATTACK ON A
COMMERCIAL BUS AND KILLED THREE KIDNAPPERS for public
consumption.In the light of the above, it is our considered opinion that the Nation publication of today 6 August, 2019, for all intents and purposes is fake news and should be discountenanced and
disregarded as no such thing happened.As a Command, we remain resolute in our avowed commitment to tackling all violent crimes in the State. The Press still remain our worthy partners in the fight against criminality but advised to be objective and balanced in their reportage.
DSP NNAMDI OMONI
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
RIVERS STATE COMMAND
