A text message widely- circulated yesterday in the Kaduna metropolis suggesting a possible Boko Haram attack is causing fear and tension among residents in the city.
But the state police command has dismissed the text message, describing it as the hand work of mischief makers who were out to instill fear and cause confusion among the residents.
The text message, which warned residents to be careful about going through or passing through some places and locations in the city, urged that the message be circulated and warned against taking chances.
The message read: ” If you are within Kaduna, please kindly pass this news across to your family members to pray and to be very careful about the following places: 10 Storey building, Kawo park, between Leventis buildings to Taiwo buildings. This letter was send to the mosque and confirmed by the security agencies. Let’s not take chance.”
However, while reacting to the text message, the spokesman of the Kaduna State police command, Aminu Lawan, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the command heard about the text message, stressing that those who want to cause fear among the people were behind it.
According to him, “The text message was the hand work of mischief makers who were out to instill fear and create confusion among the people.
“They are used to circulating this kind of wicked rumour to scare people. We have had such text messages in the past threatening to burn places or do this or that. But we are asking people to be extra vigilant and report any suspicious thing to the police.”
Lawan who said security had been beefed up within the metropolis, urged residents to disregard the text message and stop further spreading of rumours.
Kaduna is one of the cities that had suffered several bomb attacks by members of the outlawed Boko Haram.
