Gunmen in military uniform numbering about 50 have raided Dawaki community in Abuja, and abducted at least 20 people, Daily Trust reports.
Witnesses said it was yet another daring onslaught by the attackers, who they variously described as bandits, armed robbers, terrorists, among other names.
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 learnt that the invaders, armed with different categories of weapons, stormed Dawaki around 7.30 pm on Sunday, and operated up till around 8.30 pm.
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 Express way, 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 in the outskirt of the area.
He said while the bandits 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 said.
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.”
are not the only estate providing guns to our personal security outfits, many estates are doing the same,” he said.
We’ve been tasked to fix police vehicle
Mr Adeyemi, whose neighbourhood is under siege, said residents in the area have been contributing money to fix a police patrol vehicle.
“They (bandits) disturbed our sleep with heavy gunshots. The vigilantes that we hired could not do anything because their guns had no bullets. They too ran away when the bandits arrived,” he said.
Another resident said: “We had some policemen in our neighbourhood in the past, but they were withdrawn last year. Because of this latest abduction, the community has contacted the police. But we were told that it is either we buy a patrol vehicle for the police or we repair one of their vehicles for them to come.
“We have agreed to repair the vehicle for them. This is going to cost N900, 000. Each house has been asked to contribute N25,000.”
