No kidnapper in Rivers traced to Enugu prison — NCoS

Nigerian Correctional Service has debunked an online publication claiming that a kidnapper of a 12-year-old girl in Rivers State has been traced to Enugu Prison.

Public Relations Officer of NCoS Abubakar Umar in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, described the report as fake news and a figment of the writers imagination.

“The attention of Nigerian Correctional Service has been drawn to an online publication alleging complicity in the kidnap of a 12-year-old girl in Rivers.

“The Service wishes to unequivocally debunk the story as false, malicious, and a figment of the writer’s imagination, aimed at misleading the general public.

“Available Records show that the Enugu State Command has no inmate in any of its facilities bearing ‘Chi boy.’ That the reporter was not able to provide the full names of the said inmate shows that the report is frivolous, untrue and lacks credibility,” Umar stated.

According to him, the Nigerian Correctional Service is not aware of any kidnap in Rivers State or any other Command as alledge both in the press statement and the viral video or was there any time an investigative agency tracked any kidnapper to any facility in Enugu or Delta state Commands.

Umar maintained that the Service is not in the position to confirm payment of ransom or whatsoever transaction as alleged in the “fictitious report and video”.

He added the Service has no role in the said kidnap story, and as a security organization, it does not operate in isolation; “rather, it partners with sister agencies to ensure adequate security”.

He further stated that the Service would never turn down requests for investigation activities from sister agencies.

“The said Enaafe Georgewill who addressed the press has at no time visited the Command or any of its Custodial Centres to confirm his claims. Same applies to the author of the unauthenticated viral video. It is, therefore, of note that their claims are malicious and intended to tarnish the image of the Service.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service is a disciplined security organization that will not aid or abate criminal activities of any kind and therefore enjoys media organisations to always fact-check reports before publication to avoid sending wrong information to the public,” Umar stated.