THE Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) has denied that the kidnapper of a 12-year-old girl in Rivers State known as Chiboy has been traced to Enugu Prison.
The Correctional Service in a statement on Sunday, April 20, by its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Umar Abubakar, a deputy controller of corrections, said the attention of the NCS was drawn to an online publication alleging its complicity in the kidnap of a 12-year-old girl in Rivers State.
The NCS statement followed a report that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had tracked a prime suspect, known as Chiboy, to the Enugu Correctional facility, in connection with the August 7, 2024, kidnapping of 12-year-old child Favour Oluwaseyi in Obio/Akpor Local Government area of Rivers State.
The suspect was allegedly linked to the crime through a phone number used to call the victim’s mother and an account number used to receive a ransom of N100,000.
The Service described the publication as false, malicious and a figment of the writer’s imagination, aimed at misleading the public.
According to the NCS, available records show that the Enugu State Command has no inmate in any of its facilities bearing ‘Chiboy.’
“Nigerian Correctional Service categorically states that it is not aware of any kidnap in Rivers State or any other Command as alleged both in the press statement and the viral video nor was there any time an investigative agency tracked any kidnapper to any facility in Enugu or Delta State Commands.
“Therefore, the Service is not in the position to confirm payment of ransom or whatsoever transaction as alleged in the fictitious report and video,” the Service stated.
The NCS added that it had no role in the said kidnap story, and as a security organisation, it was not operating in isolation; but with sister agencies to ensure adequate security.
The Service said it would never turn down requests for investigation activities from sister agencies.
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