From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The security situation in Phase 4, Guduwa community, by Camp Lavet, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has deteriorated. Last Thursday, about 20 gunmen reportedly stormed the community, moving from house to house and stripping the occupants of their valuables at gunpoint.
According to residents of the area, the criminal elements came around 2am, split into groups, and started breaking into houses in a coordinated manner, stabbing residents and collecting valuables as fast as they could before moving to the next house.
Several persons were stabbed during the coordinated robbery, including a private security guard who was confirmed dead a few hours after the attack that lasted about 40 minutes, a source hinted.
Daily Sun’s preliminary investigation revealed that the area had experienced such an attack four years ago, while a resident was abducted five months ago.
The community has been relying on self-help and collaboration with the district police in Nyanya to secure their lives and properties to some extent.
A resident who identified himself simply as Audu said: “The armed robbers came around 2 a.m. and from the look of things, they were determined to rob all the houses. They divided themselves into groups possibly to finish within a short time considering the time they came in.
“Some were robbing from the beginning of the road while other groups were robbing from the other end to zero in on the houses at the centre.
“We noticed that each of the groups had a watchman who alerted those breaking into houses to rush out when the police came. At one point, we thought they were kidnappers because we could hear them shouting: ‘advance, advance’ as they ran away.
“Luckily for us, the police arrived on time and saved a lot of us from these criminals. The policemen overpowered them and after some minutes, everywhere was calm again.
“It was a terrible experience as gunshots were heard from all angles, which we later learned was an exchange of gunfire between the police and the armed robbers.”
A top security officer, who spoke in confidence, confirmed the gun duel between the police and the criminals.
He said: “The robbers laid ambush before the arrival of the policemen, which made the team to fire teargas to smoke them out but they took to their heels.
“However, the policemen were able to recover a car belonging to one of the residents, a laptop, and a plasma television.”
The security source also appealed to the people residing in the area to cooperate with the police and sister agencies concerning the security of the area because security should be everyone’s business.