Police, ALGON Debunk Kidnap Attempt on Taraba LG Chairman

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo 

The Taraba State Police Command and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGON) in Taraba State have refuted reports of an attempted kidnap of Gassol Local Government Area Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq.

ALGON, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Jauro Hassan, described the claim by Alhaji Sadiq that there was an attempt to kidnap him at his residence in Jalingo on Wednesday, 10th July, 2025 as false and misleading.

In the same vein, the State Police Command, in a statement issue by the acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) James Lashen Saminu, stated that Alhaji Sadiq’s claim fell short of the threshold for a criminal offence such as attempted kidnapping. The Gassol chairman had made a distress call to the GRA Police Division at about 3.15a.m on Wednesday, 10th July, claiming  that kidnappers were in his house to abduct  him.

But on arrival at his residence, which is adjacent to ALGON House in Jalingo, there were no suspects to arrest by the police operatives as the kidnappers were said to have escaped.

 Upon further investigation of the incident, the Police issued a statement stating that there was no kidnap attempt on the local government chairman.

According to the police statement, “The Chairman placed a distress call at 3.15a.m, claiming he noticed suspicious movements around his house which is located around ALGON House. 

“The DPO of GRA Division and his patrol team responded immediately and arrived at the location but no suspects were found, and there was no direct contact between any individuals and the chairman.”

“Further police investigations revealed that no break-in occurred, nor was there any credible indication of an actual kidnap attempt. The Command emphasised that the chairman’s alarm did not meet the threshold for a criminal offence such as attempted kidnapping.”

Describing the chairman’s distress call as a false alarm,   state ALGON noted  that such misleading report paints a picture of an unsafe Jalingo despite the success recorded by the present administration to safeguard the state.

 “We view this false narrative with grave concern, especially at a time when His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas, the Governor of Taraba State, is making tremendous strides in strengthening the state’s security framework. The Governor’s unwavering commitment to building a safer, peaceful, and investment-friendly Taraba is already producing tangible results — with noticeable reductions in crime rates and growing public confidence.”

“We urge members of the public and the media to exercise caution, verify information, and refrain from disseminating reports that may cause panic or erode the significant progress made under the leadership of Governor Agbu Kefas.”

Similarly, the State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Simon Bretet, expressed concern over the false report, saying it is capable of  undermining public confidence in the state’s improving security situation. 

His words: “The security situation in Jalingo has improved significantly, and such unfounded reports only serve to create unnecessary panic.”

He urged citizens to remain calm and continue with their daily activities, while calling on public officials and community leaders to verify facts before raising alarms that could spread fear and misinformation.