The Rivers state Police Command has said it has interfaced with the leadership of the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association where modalities have been put in place to beef up security around the doctors and hospitals in the State.
The command said this in reaction to a media report published in a national daily captioned as “Rivers Doctors Abandon Duty Post as Kidnappers Go On Rampage”.
The command in a statement signed by its spokesman, DSP Ahmad Mohammad said presently no doctor is in the captivity of kidnappers.
Mohammad who described the story as a campaign of calumny campaign aimed at demoralizing its Officers and men in the fight against violent crimes in Rivers state, called on doctors and members of the public to disregard and discountenance the story
The statement reads, “The attention of Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a story in a national daily captioned as “Rivers Doctors Abandon Duty Post as Kidnappers Go On Rampage”.
“The Command views such story as calumny campaign aimed at demoralizing its Officers and men in the fight against violent crimes.
“No wonder the two pages story woefully failed far below journalistic standards by being one sided without response or comments of the Rivers State Police Command. To say least, the story is not only a hype and mischievous, but capable of creating needless panic where there is none.
“It is relevant to state that the Command has soon after the resurgence of the ugly trend on 25/01/2016 interfaced with leadership of the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association where modalities were emplaced to beef up security around the doctors and hospitals in the State. Presently, no doctor is in the captivity of kidnappers.
“It’s not that the Command remained aloof to stem the tide of the ugly trend of kidnappings in the state as it is on record only last year the Command foiled 105 kidnappings, rescued 337 victims of kidnapping, fatally wounded 145 suspected kidnappers and arrested 329 suspected kidnappers.
“Consequently, doctors and by extension members of the public are hereby enjoined to disregard and discountenance the story. The Command furthermore craves for the continued partnership with the media and the police in verification of news stories before making them public, please.”
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