Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
KOGI, Nigeria – The Kogi State Police Command has dismissed social media reports alleging that passengers were kidnapped along the Kabba-Okene Road, describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Friday, Police Public Relations Officer Oyiza Salisu said investigations confirmed that no abduction occurred on the route on June 17.
According to the police, the incident involved a commercial bus transporting cocoyam from Kabba to Ibilo and not passengers as widely reported online.
Salisu explained that the driver, identified as Ojo, became alarmed after noticing suspicious lights ahead and attempted to turn back before abandoning the vehicle and running to a nearby military checkpoint.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that no kidnapping, attack or criminal incident occurred,” she said.
The command further disclosed that the bus had developed an electrical fault, which contributed to the confusion surrounding the incident.
Police said no passengers were onboarding the vehicle at the time and that the goods were later transferred to another vehicle and safely delivered to their destination.
The matter, according to the command, was resolved at the military checkpoint and was never reported to the police because no criminal offence had occurred.
The command urged residents and social media users to disregard reports suggesting an armed bandit attack or mass abduction on the road.
Authorities also appealed to members of the public to verify information through official channels before sharing unconfirmed reports capable of causing panic.
The clarification comes amid heightened public concern over security incidents on major highways across the country.
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