The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied social media reports claiming Boko Haram has stormed the Middle Belt including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, or heading for the South to wreak havoc.
DSS said the “alleged hijack of the luxury buses belonging to three major transport companies on the Lokoja-Okene Road” by criminals was fake news.
Spokesman for the agency, Peter Afunanya, said in a statement on Friday that the reports had been in circulation since 2013, adding they were making efforts to apprehend those behind the reports.
He said, “Another misleading report relates to the alleged hijack of luxury buses of three major transport companies on the Lokoja-Okene Road by persons suspected to be championing an ethnic agenda.
“The alert purportedly issued by the DSS on the arrival of Boko Haram and other terrorist elements to the aforementioned places has been in circulation since 2013 when it was first created by mischief-makers whose handiwork is to cause chaos.
“The public is urged to disregard these fallacious narratives and reports in their entirety.
“Considering that security is a collective responsibility of all and sundry, everyone is advised to report suspicious persons to the relevant security agencies.
“We will continue to ensure adequate protection for the people, government and critical infrastructure. We will also not fail to make defaulters face the consequences of their illicit activities.”
