File: Nigerian Police on patrol

Contrary to the claim of Boko Haram terrorist group, the Police authorities said on Wednesday that there is no any police woman in the custody of the insurgent group.

Abubakar Shekau, a factional leader of Boko Haram had in a video released on Monday claimed that 16 police women were captured during attack on Military/Police convoy at Abari/Dalwa village Maiduguri/Damboa highway on Tuesday,  20th June.

Some reports of the attack had also indicated that “16 female passengers in the bus trailing the ambulance carrying late Sgt Rahila’s corpse were Police women and wives of Policemen asked to accompany the burial party and that all of them were taken away by BHT”.

While dismissing the reports, DSP Isuku Victor, spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command said there are there are no Police women under Boko Haram terrorist’s captivity as claimed by Shekau in a statement released on Wednesday evening.

The Command also reiterated claims in an earlier press briefing by the Commissioner of Police, CP Damian A. Chukwu that one police lorry with Reg. No. NPF 2677 D carrying personnel, relations and burial party for late Sgt Rahila Antikirya was carted away during the attack.

It added that other occupants of the lorry are either relations or sympathizers who took advantage of the space in the lorry conveying personal effects of the deceased Police woman and joined the burial party who had been reported missing in the earlier press briefing.

The Police also affirmed that the driver of the Police lorry, Sgt Kubura Mwada, was shot and injured on his back was able to jump down from the lorry and escaped.

The Police however agreed that two of its personnel – Inspr Fatsuma Sale and Cpl Abubakar Haruna were still missing, but there is no evidence in the video clip indicating that they are in the captivity of the sect.

“The Command, therefore, wishes to advise media organisations and the general public to disregard the claim(s) in the video, as well as social media reports as they are not a true representation of that unfortunate incident,” Isuku said.