Our vehicles not used for bandit activities - Yankari Express debunks viral video

The Bauchi State Yankari Express Corporation, says its vehicles were not used to convey bandits or for bandit activities.

Engr. Babaji Yunusa, the General Manager of the state transport Corporation stated this in a news conference on Friday while reacting to a social media post claiming that a Yankari Express vehicle was conveying bandits and was arrested in Kano state.

According to him, the social media post was false and misleading as it didn't represent the truth of the matter but had already gone viral on the social media space.

He said in the video, the individual was claiming that a passenger wearing a dress full of charms taken from Sokoto to Kano state was a bandit who was allegedly hoarding arms and ammunition.

He said in the reel's video, the alleged videographer was heard speaking Hausa dialect that security personnel apprehended a vehicle belonging to Yankari Express with arms and ammunition meant for kidnappers.

“Somebody made a video of the vehicle, put it on social media saying that the vehicle was used to convey bandits and this has gone viral.

“The vehicle was from Sokoto to Kano and somebody, a passenger wearing clothes full of charm and other passengers became suspicious of him and alerted the police who later impounded the vehicle at their station.

“We are making it clear that we have two types of vehicles operating under us here. We have the Company Vehicles and the Lease Vehicles,” he said.

Yunusa, who said the alleged vehicle which has the company's paint and name had neither a plate number nor the certified sticker issued by the corporation to all its vehicle certified fleet.

“I'm calling and appealing to the people that we are on top of everything and people should continue with their journey from our transport corporation.

“It was just a baseless accusation and the police are doing the right thing. As far as that vehicle is concerned, it is not what the clip was saying.

“It was just a passenger that was picked for wearing clothes with charms and the man in question claimed that the clothes were for protection,” said the General Manager.

He emphasised that the Corporation has embarked on reforms to reposition its operations to ensure that every franchise vehicle is certified to be fit before integrating it into its fleet.