About 20 residents of Dawaki, a community near Kubwa in the Federal Capital Territory, were kidnapped in a violent raid on Sunday night. The armed assailants, numbering around 50, broke into six houses on Frank Opara Street around 7:30 pm, before security operatives responded to distress calls.
The Chairman of Dawaki Rock Heaven Community, Tunde Abdulrahim, detailed the attack to newsmen, expressing the community's shock and fear. The FCT police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident, stating that the Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, led a team to engage the kidnappers in a gun battle, resulting in the rescue of the victims.
In an official statement, the FCT Police Command described their immediate and strategic response to the attack, highlighting a coordinated effort with local hunters. The police ambushed the assailants at Ushafa Hill and Shishipe Hills, resulting in a fierce gunfight that forced the kidnappers to flee with injuries. One rescued victim remains hospitalized, while search operations continue for others who fled during the shootout.
Earlier on Sunday, five people were abducted from Shagari Quarters, Dei-Dei, in a separate incident. Vigilante sources reported that the bandits targeted the compound of a senior customs officer, taking his wife, three children, and a younger brother. Their attempt to attack neighboring Dakwa town was thwarted by security forces after a fierce exchange of fire.
The Chief of Dakwa, Dr. Alhassan Musa Babachukuri, lamented the ongoing security threat, noting that the bandits have established a base behind Zuma Rock in the Chachi community of Niger State. This area, leading to forests around Bwari, has become a hideout for the criminals, exacerbating the security challenges in the region.
