Bandits in military uniform, numbering around 50, reportedly abducted approximately 20 persons after invading the Dawaki neighbourhood in Abuja.
According to the Daily Trust, Dawaki, a densely populated suburb where thousands of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) workers dwell, is located across from the Gwarinpa Estate, Nigeria’s largest organised single community, on the Abuja-Kubwa Motorway.
According to the publication, the bandits, armed with various types of firearms, invaded Dawaki around 7.30 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, and operated until about 8.30 p.m.
This took place after kidnappers raided Shagari Quarters in Dei-Dei, roughly five kilometres distant on the same Abuja-Kubwa Motorway, and kidnapped a Customs officer’s family.
Hosea Christopher, a Dawaki local, confirmed the situation, saying the bandits grabbed 17 people from three houses and the street near Fulani Junction. He claimed five of the abductees escaped while being led to a mountain on the outskirts of the area.
Hosea further said that while the criminals were travelling to a jungle near the Usuma Dam, they were confronted by DSS agents.
He added; “They immediately opened fire on the security men but there was corresponding response. Despite the fierce offensive by the DSS operatives, the bandits were able to escape.”
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Abel James, a resident who escaped abduction, said, the attackers “wore uniforms and had face masks.”
He said; “But I doubted their genuineness when they started shooting sporadically. As they moved towards the community, I headed into a house under construction and climbed upstairs from where I kept looking at their operation, with gunshots as they were leaving towards the hill.
“We later learnt that two of the gunmen were captured by the security men that included DSS and soldiers who joined them later around the Usuma Dam, where the fire exchange took place.”
Benneth Igweh, the FCT Commissioner of Police (CP), confirmed the event on Monday, May 20, saying he led the rescue operation on Sunday around Ushafa-Shishipe through the Mpape Hills.
He said that the operation followed a distress call after an attack on some residents of Dawaki by gunmen. He said; “We advanced towards the assailants, tactically ambushing them at Ushafa Hill via Bwari down to Shishipe, resulting in a fierce gun battle with the hoodlums, which forced them to flee with bullet wounds and we rescued some of the abducted victims.”
Igweh also revealed that the rescued victims are in the hospital undergoing medical care.
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