Some suspected gunmen in military uniform numbering about 50 have invaded the Dawaki community located opposite the Gwarinpa Estate, along Kubwa Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), kidnapping about 20 people in the community.
The bandits who were armed with different categories of weapons, LEADERSHIP gathered, stormed the community at about 7:30pm on Sunday, May 19, and operated for about an hour without interference.
This invasion occurred after kidnappers also invaded Shagari Quarters in Dei-Dei, about five kilometres away on the same Kubwa Expressway, abducting the family of a Customs officer.
A resident of Dawaki, Hosea Christopher, who confirmed the development, said the bandits abducted 17 residents from three houses on the street along Fulani Junction.
He said five of the abductees escaped while being taken towards a mountain on the outskirts of the area.
Hosea also explained that while the bandits were heading towards a forest around the Usuma Dam, they were confronted by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
"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 said.
Another resident of the community, Abel James, who was among the people that escaped abduction, said, the attackers wore uniforms and had face masks.
"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.
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"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," he said.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, who confirmed the incident on Monday, May 20, said he led the rescue operation on Sunday around Ushafa-Shishipe through the Mpape hills.
Igweh 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 further revealed that the rescued victims are in the hospital receiving medical attention.
