The Police in Kwara on Thursday condemned a report by an online medium describing the state as a new haven of kidnappers.
Police spokesperson in the state, SP Okansanmi Ajayi, in a statement issued in Ilorin, said the report was baseless and against the interest of the general public.
The spokesperson said that the state Commissioner of Police, Tuesday Assayomo, describing the report as alarming in nature, advised members of the public to ignore it.
Ajayi said that the security community, fully supported by the state government, was working together to curtail security breaches, which, he explained, were 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 could create unnecessary apprehension in the minds of the citizens.
“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 lionisation of their antics.
“Kwara remains about the safest state in the country, as confirmed by the IGP during his recent visit to Kwara,” he said.
Notwithstanding, he said the command remained 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,” he said. (NAN)
