The Kaduna State police command has dismissed reports on the abduction of commuters along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.
Reports emerged on the abduction of an unspecified number of passengers along the highway emerged earlier on Tuesday.
However, in a statement by its spokesman, Mansir Hassan, the command described the reports as misleading.
He said: “To counter the misinformation flow, the command wishes to set the record straight.
“There was a heavy gun duel along Kaduna-Abuja expressway between security operatives and armed bandits on January 6, at 23:30 hours or thereabout.
“The incident occurred when the armed bandits in large number attempted to cross the said expressway at Dogon Fili area heading towards Jere axis and were engaged in a fierce shootout by the well alerted security agents who dislodged the hoodlums and ensured a lot of them only escaped but with gunshot wounds.
“The police command is calling on the public around that axis to be on the watch for any person or persons nursing suspected bullet injuries and report same to the closest police station or any security outfit.”
The spokesman revealed that commuters plying the highway were caught in crossfire and six persons sustained varying degrees of bullet during the gun duel with the bandits.
He added that the victims are receiving treatment in a hospital in the area.
“It was an unfortunate isolated incident in a long time as the Kaduna-Abuja expressway has since been fortified for the use of commuters.
“Thus, the general public should disregard the misleading fear-inducing story,” Hassan added.