Authorities in Abuja have refuted claims that Naval Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima was the target of an attack, insisting the incident reported in some media outlets was merely a routine police stop.
The clarification was issued on Monday by SP Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, who criticised the reports as inaccurate and misleading. Yerima, who recently had a public confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, had been alleged to have survived an assassination attempt.
Adeh said the encounter took place on 16 November at about 6:15 p.m. when police officers conducting a stop-and-search operation at the NNPC Junction on the Kubwa Expressway stopped an ash-coloured Toyota Camry. The vehicle had fully tinted windows and a concealed number plate, prompting officers to request the driver’s identity in accordance with operational protocol.
She explained that the driver refused to cooperate, wound up his windows and made several calls instead of responding. Shortly afterwards, three naval officers arrived, identified the man as their colleague, and recorded the scene before leaving.
Once his identity was verified, the police team allowed the vehicle to continue its journey, Adeh said, stressing that there was no confrontation or threat to the officer’s life.
She added that the spread of false reports alleging an assassination attempt was “disturbing”, and urged residents of the FCT to refrain from disseminating unverified stories.
FCT Police Commissioner Miller Dantawaye appealed to the public to support law enforcement officers and avoid circulating rumours that may cause unnecessary panic.
