From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has debunked rumours making the rounds over alleged heavy gunfire that took place around Dantata bridge in Lugbe and Minister’s hills in Maitama, on Tuesday night.

The Command said there was no truth in the report which has gone virile on social media and urged the public to disregard the report.

The Command also said it has commenced investigations into sources of countless maliciously crafted and Panic-generating writeups.

FCT Command Police Public Relations Officer Josephine Adeh, who made this known in a statement, said operatives from the Command’s intelligence department deployed to the scene of the alleged shooting found the incident to be fake.

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She called on the public to shun fake/unverified news and go about their lawful business without fear of being harassed from any kind from any quarters.

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The statement reads:

“The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to a series of erroneous writeups and publications making the rounds, especially on the social media spaces, suggesting that there was heavy gunfire simultaneously around Dantata bridge in Lugbe and Minister’s hills in Maitama yesterday 26th July 2022 at about 19:38Hrs. Following the receipt of the news, the Command’s Intelligence and Tactical asset drifted to the scene where the news was found false.

“Having maintained monitoring and surveillance of the area all night, and with the intelligence at the disposal of the Command, it is important to categorically state that the news is on every scale unfounded and should be disregarded. Members of the public are therefore enjoined to eschew the generation and promulgation of fake/ unverified news and go about their lawful business without the fear of harassment or molestation of any kind from any quarters.

“Meanwhile, FCT Commissioner of Police CP Babaji Sunday, psc, while reassuring residents of an unalloyed commitment to the safety of all and sundry in the Territory, called for calm noting that an investigation has commenced into the sources of this and many other maliciously crafted write-ups targeted at promoting panic and apprehension in the Territory. He urged residents to only believe information released from official stables.

“While the police continue its quest on bringing crime and criminality to the barest minimum in the Territory, Residents are urged to remain vigilant, and report any suspicious or abnormal occurrence to the Police through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883, while the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) desk, could be reached on: 0902 222 2352.”