Police in Ogun have debunked a claim that bandits abducted 20 members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at Kara in Ifo Local Government Area.
A certain Pastor Gbenga Obaleye made the claim on Facebook that bandits kidnapped 20 members of his church on their way back from the RCCG camp where the church is holding its annual convention.
According to him: “This is not spoiling any tribe, my members in my church were coming from camp this morning at 5:30. The Fulanis came out from the Kara where they use to sell cows. 20 people have been taken into the bush, that little bush, my members left the car and ran back shooting. They came back all money, laptop ATM have been taken, the phone they stole we used now to locate where they are as at 7am. Please police in Ogun axis pls help us not to disturb people in that area, truly they are all over I can’t believe this.”
In another post, Obaleye said he was sure that the bandits were targeting members of the church returning from the camp along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
But the spokesperson of Ogun Police Command Abimbola Oyeyemi said in a statement on Tuesday that the claim was false.
The statement reads: “The attention of Ogun state Police Command has been drawn to news circulating on social media that 20 people were kidnapped by bandits on Kara bridge along Lagos/Ibadan expressway.
”In order to dispel the wicked rumor which is capable of causing panic in the mind of the public, the command wishes to inform the public that the said news is nothing but fake and lie from the pit of hell.
”There is nothing like the kidnapping of one talkless of 20 persons at the Kara bridge or anywhere along Lagos- Ibadan expressway.
”Those behind the fake news are mere mischief makers, who always derive joy from causing unnecessary panic in the mind of innocent members of the public.
”The general public are hereby advised to discontenance the fake news as nothing of such happened at the said Kara bridge.
“In view of the road construction work going on in that axis, the commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, has ordered 24hrs surveillance patrol of the area to checkmate the activities of hoodlums who might wanted to take advantage of the traffic jams to perpetrate evils.”
