FCT police foil another kidnap attempt

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

There was pandemonium at the El-Rufai Estate in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), when kidnappers invaded the estate and shot one of the residents.

The kidnappers, numbering over 15, were said to have stormed the estate, at about 2am in the early hours of yesterday, shooting sporadically to frighten the residents.

However, operatives from the FCT police command, in conjunction with soldiers of the Guards Brigade, were able to foil the kidnap of residents of the estate, which left one of the residents, simply known as Nathaniel, injured.

A resident, who did not want his name mentioned in print for fear of being attacked, said the police and the kidnappers engaged in a fierce gun battle which lasted over 30 minutes, thus, making it difficult for the kidnappers to abduct anyone from the estate. He said one of the targeted victims was shot and abandoned by the kidnappers when they could no longer withstand the fire power of the security operatives.

Narrating how the incident occurred, a resident Ibrahim, said: “Around 2am, on Wednesday, some kidnappers, numbering about 15, came to the Elrufai Estate here. All of them were carrying guns and they were shooting non-stop. The kidnappers attempted to kidnap some persons. You know, in this area, we have experienced a lot of kidnappings in the past, but, recently, the police have been very active.

“Fortunately, the police came on time and they exchanged fire with those kidnappers, which lasted for about 30 minutes or so; but, at the end of the day, nobody was abducted  by the kidnappers. However, the kidnappers shot one Nathaniel. They wanted to take him away, but they couldn’t because of the exchange of fire between them and the police”.

The FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the attack on the estate and said the police were on the trail of the kidnappers.

Adeh said: “We received a distress call and the DPO of Bwari mobilised his men along with the military, and swiftly repelled the miscreants in a gun duel. No one was kidnapped. The police are on the trail of the kidnappers.”