The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismissed circulating social media reports alleging that a Nigerian Navy officer, Lt. A.M. Yerima, survived an assassination attempt shortly after a recent confrontation with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Command described the claims as entirely false, stressing that no such incident had been reported anywhere within Abuja. The statement, signed by Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh, urged the public to ignore the “sensational and misleading” reports designed to cause panic.
“The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to publications circulating on social media alleging an attempted assassination on Lt. Ahmed Yerima. The Command wishes to categorically state that no such incident has been reported or recorded anywhere within the Federal Capital Territory. The public is advised to disregard this false information and desist from spreading unverified claims capable of causing unnecessary panic,” the statement read.
The rebuttal follows earlier claims published by some media outlets suggesting that Yerima had been stalked by unidentified men dressed in black and travelling in two unmarked Hilux vans.
According to those reports, the alleged pursuers began trailing him from the NIPCO Filling Station along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway and continued up to Gado Nasco Road.
Sources quoted in the initial reports claimed the officer noticed the suspicious vehicles and managed to outmaneuver them around 6:30 p.m., after which the matter was supposedly placed under investigation. They added that further details were being withheld to avoid jeopardizing the process.
Lt. Yerima recently made headlines following a heated encounter with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike during an enforcement operation at a contested land parcel in Abuja’s Gaduwa District. The clash drew public attention and sparked various reactions online.
Also Read: Navy Officer Yarima Escapes Suspected Assassination After Clash With Wike
With the latest clarification, the FCT Police Command is urging residents to rely on verified information and avoid sharing unconfirmed reports capable of heightening tension in the nation’s capital.
