Our personnel not involved in any armed robbery ― Bauchi Police

Members of the general public particularly in Bauchi State have been urged to disregard a video trending on social media, linking Bauchi State Police Command to armed robbery as it is unfounded, untrue and a deliberate move to malign the Police.

The urge was contained in a statement by the Command which contained that the Police Commissioner, Philip Markus has already directed for a discreet investigation into the armed robbery incident and the purported video clip after which findings will be available to the public.

The Command, therefore, disassociated itself from the purportedly mischievous video clip which has been in circulation on social media, alleging that the Police in Dambam local government was the mastermind of a robbery attack that occurred along Kano- Maiduguri road, where some passengers were robbed of their belongings.

The video according to the Police showed a Police Patrol vehicle belonging to Dambam Police Division conveying victims of the armed robbery attack, mainly women and children.

According to a press release issued by the Acting State Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Umar Magaji on behalf of the Command and made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday, the allegation was not only false but misleading and a calculated attempt by mischief makers to invite the public against the police.

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The statement contained that, “For the avoidance of doubt and to set the record straight, on the 18th February 2020, at about 0300hrs, a report was received by the Dambam Police Division that a group of armed robbers numbering about nine, blocked the Kano-Maiduguri highway at a location near Bam village in Dambam local government area, robbing innocent motorists of their belongings”.

“On receiving the report, the police patrol team was promptly mobilised to the area, however on sighting the police, the robbers took to their heels to the bush, leaving some robbers passengers on board in a Sharon motor Vehicle with registration number XA300 ABS Kano, driven by one Umar Mohammed from Ambursa in Kebbi State, heading to Maiduguri, Borno State” The statement further read.

The Police said that consequently, when the team came back to the scene of the attack, they met some angry drivers who accused them of being responsible for the robbery, adding that the victims could not refute the allegation as they were traumatised as clearly shown in the video.

“On reaching the village head house, the victims who now felt safe informed the gathering that it was not the police that robbed them. They said the police came to their rescue and chased the robbers into the bush. This statements by the victims doused the tension and put the situation under control, only for the command to see the viral video on the social media” The statement added.