Commissioner of Police, Kwara State, Mr Tuesday Assayomo penultimate Thursday submitted that a media report giving Kwara State the status of ‘haven for kidnappers’ was untrue.
Speaking through the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, the police chief urged the media to avoid promotion of stories that would make kidnappers get a great deal of attention or make people get apprehensive.
‘Kwara State Police Command wishes to reject the report by an online medium which on the basis of a few isolated but unfortunate abduction cases, called Kwara State the new haven for kidnappers.
The profiling, especially the headline is baseless and against the interest of the general public.
While the security community in full support of the state government continue to work together to curtail breaches which are sadly of the copycat syndrome, it is dangerous for anyone to hide under the unfortunate situation to undermine the efforts of the police by unnecessarily tagging the state as a haven for kidnappers.
Everyone has a duty to promote public order and avoid statements that can unnecessarily make citizens get apprehensive.
It will do everyone especially some unsuspecting members of the media a lot of good to avoid unknowingly giving cheap publicity to criminals whose major oxygen is undue media attention and lionization of their antics.
Kwara remains about the safest state in the country as confirmed by the IGP during his recent visit to the state.
Notwithstanding, the command remains alert at all times in addressing any unfortunate incident with credible intelligence and resolute policing methods.
The police and the security community in the state will continue to work with all stakeholders, including the supportive state government, to ensure that criminal gangs do not have a toehold in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Tuesday Assayomo wishes to advise members of the public to ignore the news which at best is alarming in nature and rather continue to work with the police and other sister agencies to keep Kwara State safe and secured at all times’ he said.
