By 
By Braxton Ilobah
Authorities of the Edo State Police Command have debunked the trending report in the social media alleging the abduction of seven Naval officers by gun men in Edo State.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Command’s spokesman SP Bello Kontongs said the news was fake and misleading.
Setting the records straight, he said the “attention of the Command especially the office of the Public Relations Officer, has been drawn to a fake and misleading news doing the rounds, especially in some online news portals, on the alleged kidnap of seven Naval officers said to be travelling from Kaduna to Delta State, along Benin-Sapele Road.”
“The fake report further stated that the Edo State Police Command rescued Five (5) of the victims and two of them are still with their abductors, that efforts are on by the operatives of the command to rescue the remaining two.”
“The Command wishes to refute this fake and misleading news that is capable of pitching the Navy against the police and to also divert attention of the two security agencies from doing their work of protecting lives and property.”
“To set the records straight and for the information of the general public, I am the Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command. None of the reporters of RIMF crime channel or News Express visited me in my office or called me on the phone to confirm any story.”
“The closest to the incident is that of the students of Naval College of Engineering, Sapele, who travelled in an 18-seater bus from Kaduna to Sapele. The bus was intercepted by hoodlums, suspected to be kidnappers, along Ekpoma-Benin Road at Iruekpen in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
“The operatives of the Command received the information, swung into action and rescued thirteen (13) of the victims, while one came back from the bush on her own the following day, five of them are still with the kidnappers and strong efforts have been put in place to rescue the remaining five victims.”
The Command has therefore, enjoined the general public to disregard the fake and misleading news, orchestrated by those it called mischief makers to pitch the Navy against the police and further creating tension among commuters and motorists.
Meanwhile, the Command has also assured the general public that those behind the fake, fabricated and misleading news will be tracked and brought to face the full wrath of the law.
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