The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police have denied claims that AM Yerima, the naval officer involved in a confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, was the target of an assassination attempt in Abuja.
On Sunday, some media outlets reported that Yerima was being followed by unidentified men in black clothing, who were traveling in two unmarked Hilux vans.
The pursuit was said to have started around 6:30 p.m. at the NIPCO filling station on Kubwa Expressway and continued along Gado-NASCO Way.
According to the reports, Yerima reportedly escaped the pursuers using a “strategic manoeuvre” during a high-speed chase.
It was gathered that Yerima, driving a vehicle with tinted windows, was stopped briefly by police officers in the Kubwa area, who asked him to identify himself, after which he was allowed to continue his journey.
Reacting in a statement, FCT police spokesperson Josephine Adeh described the assassination claims as “false” and “unverified.”
“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 statement reads.
“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 tension traces back to November 11, when Nyesom Wike got into a heated argument with soldiers over a disputed piece of land in Abuja.
Yerima led the group of soldiers and was at the center of the confrontation, which has since become a trending topic on social media, inspiring various skits and memes.
