Onuminya Innocent in Gusau
The Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Police yesterday debunked allegations that suspected bandits attacked its station in Shinkafi, Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued yesterday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu, the police there was not aware of attack on the police station in Shinkafi or any part of Zamfara State as wrongly reported by a section of media.
On September 25, 2021, it was reported that bandits attacked Shinkafi Police Station.
“Contrary to misleading report in a national daily of September 25, 2021, that ‘Bandits attack police stations, Shinkafi town’,” Shehu added.
He maintained that the report of attack on Shinkafi town was not only false but inaccurate, adding, however, that “what happened was that in the early hours of September 24, 2021, bandits in their large number attempted to attack Shinkafi, but were proactively repelled by the joint police and military operatives stationed in the town, with heavy casualties suffered by the bandits. No loss of life either from the security forces or the inhabitants of the area. Similarly, nobody was abducted.”
He noted that at present, the security situation in the town is very calm, with members of the communities going about their legitimate business, while new security measures are being enforced effectively.
The police command further expressed surprise the level at which some reputable newspapers published such a sensitive security report without proper confirmation from the police or any constituted authority, when their correspondent was in Gusau.
The PPRO enjoined journalists and the public to desist from airing fake and unsubstantiated stories, instead, they should verify any information that comes their way before publication.
