The Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA) and the Association of Luxury Bus Transporters of Nigeria (ALBON) have debunked report that Igbo passengers on board Young Shall Grow Motors, GUO Transport, and Ezenwata luxurious buses were kidnapped, stating that the report is fake news.
The fake report according to the association, has been circulating on social media alleging that Igbo passengers who traveled with the companies had been kidnapped at Lokoja, on their way from Anambra to Sokoto.
The Public Relations Officer of PTONA, Paul Okoghenun noted that none of the buses belonging to the companies got hijacked, adding that no passenger was kidnapped.
The transporters’ associations said the ‘news’ is a conjecture which is capable of upsetting the peace and tranquility of the nation, and should, therefore, be disregarded.
Okoghenun, who is also the Managing Director/CEO of Rahony Travels Limited, Lagos, stated, “None of the luxury buses belonging to our members – GUO, Ezenwata and The Young Shall Grow Motors – has been hijacked by bandits, whether at Kogi or anywhere else in Nigeria. Therefore, no traveller has experienced kidnapping in the said buses.
Also reacting, Chief Nonso Ubajaka, who is the Vice President of ALBON, as well as the Financial Secretary of PTONA, said the fake news is the handiwork of mischief-makers who do not mean well for the road transportation sector and the society at large.
Ubajaka, who is the Executive Director of Izu Chukwu Transport, said he was in touch with the transport companies mentioned in the story, and was, therefore, in a position to confirm that there was no hijack or kidnap incident involving their vehicles.
PTONA’s statement further stated, “We believe that the social media post concerning the alleged hijack and kidnap emanated from unscrupulous elements who are out to promote crisis where none exists.
“We, therefore, call on the members of the public to disregard the post and go about their normal businesses. Our customers should be rest assured that we, working with security personnel, are always out to protect their interest.
The managements of all the three companies mentioned in the false report – Young Shall Grow Motors Limited, GUO Transport and God Bless Ezenwata, have also confirmed that their buses were neither hijacked, nor involved in any unfortunate incidents lately.
The Managing Director of GUO Transport, Maduabuchukwu Okeke, had in his reaction, recalled that the same ‘news’ circulated in the social media many years ago, and wondered why it was being recycled now.
