Police Authenticate Pictures of Kidnapper, Prison Inmates Shared on Official Handles

Police Authenticate Pictures of Kidnapper, Prison Inmates Shared on Official Handles

The Force Headquarters in Abuja has debunked claims in the social media that it shared falsified pictures of a kidnapper, a re-arrested correctional service inmate, and one other criminal, on its official handles, yesterday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Frank Mba, in a series of tweets categorically said there was ‘absolutely’ no misrepresentation or any intention whatsoever to deceive members of the public.

Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, while setting the record straight, explained that in the case involving one Talatu Ibrahim, a female, and 40-year-old from Shinkafi LGA, Zamfara State from whom six AK-49 rifles were recovered and one other, Duleji Alhaji Abubakar a.k.a Ori jeje, who gets arms supply from her to carry out series of kidnapping and armed robbery in Kwara State, the pictures are authentic and true representation of the suspects and exhibits.

According to him, the pictures were taken separately and merged into one screen for seamless understanding of the story line.

“The arms showcased in the picture were the exhibits recovered by Police operatives from the suspects,” said Mba.

Similarly, with respect to the photo of the re-arrested inmates who escaped from lawful custody at the Oko Correctional Centre, Benin City during the ENDSARS protests, the Force Spokesperson, tweeted that one of the suspects, Alhaji Hudu Musa a.k.a Mai Cellular, had already been taken out for investigation purposes at the time the group picture was taken on 1st December, 2020, a day after the public parade of the suspects.

He added that his picture was therefore taken separately and merged with the three others in the group picture for presentation purpose and to enable readers and viewers have a one-stop glance of the suspects in the story for easy follow-up and understanding.

Mba noted: “It is imperative to state that editing photographs only becomes unethical or condemnable if the purpose is to create non-existing facts, misrepresent the facts or engage in outright falsification of the images or figures for purposes of deception or other ulterior goals. None of these was the case in the above two scenarios.

“The Force therefore enjoins members of the public to discountenance reports and comments that the images were falsified. Kindly find attached videos of the parade of the suspects with pressmen in attendance on 30th November, 2020.”

By PRNigeria