Suspected terrorists in military uniform have invaded Dawaki, a community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, abducing at least 20 people.
The terrorists numbering about 50 defied the much talked about security arrangements put in place by the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Dawaki, a heavily populated neighbourhood, where thousands of workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) live, is located opposite the Gwarinpa Estate, the biggest organised single settlement in Nigeria, located along the Abuja-Kubwa Expressway.
It was gathered that the terrorists, armed with different categories of weapons, invaded the community around 7.30pm on Sunday, and operated unhindered up till around 8.30pm.
The incident took place not long after kidnappers assaulted Shagari Quarters in Dei-Dei, which is about five kilometres away on the same Abuja-Kubwa Expressway, and abducted the family of a Customs officer.
A resident of Dawaki, Hosea Christopher, said the bandits abducted 17 residents from three houses and on the street along Fulani Junction.
He, however, said five of the abductees escaped while being taken towards a mountain on the outskirts of the area.
He said while the terrorists were heading to a forest around the Usuma Dam, they were confronted by DSS operatives.
“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,” he was quoted by Daily Trust.
Other sources said more than 20 people were abducted.
Abel James, a resident who escaped abduction, said, the attackers “Wore uniforms and had face masks.”
According to him, “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.”
A community leader in the area said most of the parked vehicles around Fulani Junction were hit by bullets.
The FCT Commissioner of Police (CP), Benneth Igweh, also confirmed the incident on Monday.
He mentioned that 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.
“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,” he said.
Igweh added that the rescued victims were in the hospital receiving medical attention.
