The Taraba State Police Command has debunked reports claiming that gunmen attempted to kidnap the Chairman of Gassol Local Government Council, Abubakar Sadiq, at his residence in Jalingo.
In a statement issued to journalists, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, James Lashen Saminu, clarified that the incident, which occurred on July 10, 2025, was not a kidnap attempt as speculated.
According to the statement, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the GRA Division received a distress call from the council chairman at about 3:15 a.m. Sadiq had reported observing suspicious movements around his residence, located near ALGON House in the state capital.
“The DPO and his patrol team responded swiftly and arrived at the location, but found no suspects in the area. Further interaction with the Chairman revealed that the individuals fled upon noticing the approaching police patrol,” Saminu stated.
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He further emphasized that there was no direct confrontation between the unidentified persons and the chairman, nor was there any attempt to force entry into the premises conditions necessary to classify the event as an attempted kidnapping.
The Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Simon Bretet, assured residents that the Command is committed to protecting lives and property across the state.
He urged the public to remain calm and continue to report suspicious activity to law enforcement for timely intervention.
Bretet also noted that kidnapping incidents in the state have seen a marked decline due to intensified security efforts.
