The Taraba State Police Command has refuted circulating reports that gunmen attempted to kidnap the Chairman of Gassol Local Government Council, Abubakar Sadiq, at his residence in Jalingo.

In a statement made available to media practitioners yesterday in Jalingo, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, James Lashen Saminu, explained that on 10th July 2025 at about 3:15 a.m., the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of GRA Division received a distress call from Sadiq.

The Chairman, according to the statement, reported noticing suspicious movements around his residence near Algon House in Jalingo, the state capital.

“The DPO and his patrol team swiftly responded and arrived at the scene, but could not locate any suspects.

Further interaction with the Chairman revealed that the suspected hoodlums fled upon sighting the approaching police patrol.

There was no direct contact between the suspicious persons and the Chairman, nor was there any attempt to break into his residence that could constitute the offence of attempted kidnap,” the statement clarified.

The Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Simon Bretet, assured residents that the Command remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property in the state.

He urged the public to continue providing timely information to enable rapid police response.

The Commissioner further advised residents of Jalingo and the state at large to remain calm and carry on with their lawful activities without fear, noting that incidents of kidnapping in the state have been significantly curtailed.