The Nigeria Police Force has clarified a false and misleading claim circulating on X (formerly Twitter), that a Deputy Commissioner of Police serving at the Kaduna State Police Command was arrested for supplying firearms to bandits and kidnappers, condemning it in its entirety.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said that the false claim was made by one Adamu Garba Zango, a lecturer at Baze University.
The FPRO said that Mr. Zango recirculated a picture which had been in the internet archives since 2019, alleged that it was that of a Deputy Commissioner of Police serving at the Kaduna State Police Command who was arrested for supplying firearms to bandits and kidnappers.
“He (Zango) further shared the said image to support this baseless claim.
“It is pertinent to state that the individual depicted in the shared photograph is not a serving member of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Investigations have revealed that the man in the image is one Kingsley Udoyen, a civilian who was arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command on January 2nd, 2019, for impersonating an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
“At the time of his arrest, Udoyen was found to have been using a fake police rank to defraud and intimidate unsuspecting members of the public.
“Items recovered from his residence included an English pistol without ammunition and portraits of various police ranks.
“It is also important to point out that there is no connection between the Kaduna State Police Command and the false allegations propagated by Mr. Zango.
“The Nigeria Police Force condemns the spread of false information, which not only tarnishes the image of the Force but also undermines public trust and safety.
“Members of the public are urged to verify information from credible sources before sharing.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of justice. Spreading unverified claims is a violation of laws concerning defamation and cybercrime, and the Police may pursue appropriate legal action against individuals or entities involved in disseminating such falsehoods,” ACP Adejobi stated.
He added: “For accurate information and updates, the public is encouraged to follow the official channels of the Nigeria Police Force on the following social media platforms:
X (formerly Twitter): @PoliceNG
Instagram: @nigeriapoliceforce
Facebook: @ngpolice
Youtube: @PoliceNG
Tiktok: @ngpolice.”
